Page Title
| Cleaning Poison |
| Bucks County Green...... Naturally! |
The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC)
has recorded many exposures to household cleaning
substances that are serious enough to require treatment in a
medical treatment center. Surprisingly, according to the AAPCC
the majority of poisonings are due to cleaning products - drain
cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, bleach, soaps and detergents.
One million poisonings each year are due to household cleaner
ingestion. Some are fatal. Thousands of children and adults
are permanently disfigured or injured through contact with
chemicals in the home each year.
Our pets are also at risk. Animals are likely to drink out of
puddles, gutters, toilet bowls, or any old container left sitting
around with a liquid in it, even if they have fresh water
available.
Here is an alphabetical list of some of the most hazardous
cleansers found around the house:
AIR FRESHENERS: interfere with your ability to smell by
releasing nerve-deadening agents or coating nasal passages
with an oil film, usually methoxychlor, a pesticide that
accumulates in fat cells. Known toxic chemicals found in an air
freshener are formaldehyde, a highly toxic, known carcinogen,
and phenol. When phenol touches your skin, it can cause it to
swell, burn, peel, and break out in a rash.
AMMONIA: is a very volatile chemical and is very damaging to
your eyes, respiratory tract and skin.
ANTIBACTERIAL CLEANERS: may contain triclosan, which is
absorbed through the skin and can be tied to liver damage.
BLEACH: is a strong corrosive. It will irritate or burn the skin,
eyes and respiratory tract. It may cause pulmonary edema or
vomiting and coma if ingested. Never mix bleach with acid
toilet bowl cleaners or ammonia. These mixtures may produce
fumes which can be DEADLY.
CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY SHAMPOO: Most formulas are
designed to over power the stain itself; they accomplish the
task but not without using highly toxic substances. Some
include perchlorethylene, a known carcinogen that damages
liver, kidney and nervous system damage; and ammonium
hydroxide, a corrosive, extremely irritable to eyes, skin and
respiratory passages.
CHLORINE: The first agent of chemical warfare was chlorine.
WWII ended with an abundance of this cheap chemical. In the
name of huge profits, it was added to our water supply and
many other products. Chlorine is a leading cause of breast
cancer, and can be lethal. Scientists won't handle chlorine
without protective gloves, facemasks, and ventilation, yet it is
in most store-brand cleaners, including dishwasher detergents.
The harmful effects are intensified when the fumes are heated,
as in the shower. It’s in our drinking water, swimming pools,
Jacuzzis, and more.
FURNITURE POLISH: contain petroleum distillates, which
are highly flammable and can cause skin and lung cancer.
They contain nitrobenzene, which is easily absorbed through
the skin and extremely toxic.
LAUNDRY ROOM PRODUCTS: Laundry detergents contain
phosphorus, enzymes, ammonia, naphthalene, phenol, sodium
nitilotriacetate and countless other chemicals. These
substances can cause rashes, itches, allergies, sinus problems
and more. The residue left on your clothes, bed sheets, etc. is
absorbed through your skin, as is everything else you touch.
OVEN CLEANER: one of the most toxic products people use.
They contain lye and ammonia, which eat the skin, and the
fumes linger and affect the respiratory system. Then there is
the residue that is intensified the next time you turn your oven
on. Use sea salt and baking soda instead.
TOILET BOWL CLEANERS: usually contain hydrochloric acid,
a highly corrosive irritant to both skin and eyes that damages
kidneys and liver; and hypochlorite bleach, a corrosive irritant
that can burn eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Toilet bowl
cleaners also may cause pulmonary edema, vomiting or coma
if ingested. Contact with other chemicals may cause chlorine
fumes which may be fatal.
Are you one of the millions of consumers who tend to think
anything sold must be safe? Think again. Since WWII more
than 80,000 synthetic chemicals have been invented. Most
have been created from petroleum and coal tar for the
purposes of chemical warfare. The sad thing is that hardly any
of these substances have been tested for safety, but have
been added to our food, water and cleaning products without
our consent and most often without informing us of any
dangers. There is a lot of intentional suppression in this
industry that adds approximately 1000 new chemicals each
year.
According to the National Research Council, "no toxic
information is available for more than 80% of the chemicals in
everyday-use products. Less than 20% have been tested for
acute effects and less than 10% have been tested for chronic,
reproductive or mutagenic effects." Most have not been tested
for combined or accumulated effects, nor for their effects on
unborn children.
What can you do to protect your loved ones from chemical
injury and poisoning?
First of all, educate yourself, and find safer alternatives as
much as possible.
Secondly, minimize the use of harsh chemicals. Clean spills
and stains immediately, remove food waste promptly, keep
home moisture/humidity down to 30-50%, and use entry way
mats at all entrances.
Third, store all cleaning agents in their original containers out
of the reach of children. Follow the directions on the label and
use only the amount of product recommended. Read labels,
follow safety precautions and contact the manufacturer if you
have questions.
By definition, we clean our homes to reduce damage or harm
to human and pet health, and to protect our valued
possessions. Let's not make the solution worse than the
problem!
Please click on any of the buttons on the left to learn more
about how we can help you.
215-860-9174
If you'd like to purchase natural products for your own use,
please click here
info@buckscountygreen.com
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