HOUSECLEANING MADE CLEANER
Could your housecleaning actually be dirtying the environment? Here are some tips on choosing household cleansers that will help keep your home both clean and �green.�
Avoid harmful ingredients. Though they might not bear a warning label, many household cleansers contain ingredients that pose problems for the environment and public health.
- Petroleum: Many conventional detergents (�surfactants�), solvents, and polishes contain paraffin, mineral oil, diethylene glycol, perchloroethylene, or butyl cellosolve�all of which are derived from petroleum. Extraction and refinement of this nonrenewable resource contribute to air and water pollution.
- Phosphates/EDTA: Phosphates, which have traditionally been used in detergents to soften water and increase cleaning power, encourage algae growth in waterways, depriving marine life of oxygen. EDTA, a common substitute for phosphates, degrades slowly in the environment.
- Phthalates: Manufacturers of many cleaning products use phthalates to prolong their products� scent. However, these chemicals have been linked to cancer and disease of the reproductive system in laboratory animals.
- Antibacterial agents: The use of cleansers containing antibacterials such as triclosan and benzalkonium chloride could be contributing to an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, resulting in human illnesses that are more difficult to treat.Chlorine bleach: This popular whitener and disinfectant can harm the environment by contributing to the formation of organochlorines (chlorine-carbon compounds) such as the chlorofluorocarbons that damage Earth�s ozone layer.
Choose �greener� alternatives. It�s possible to give your house an adequate cleaning without harmful chemicals. Look for products that contain environmentally friendly ingredients such as:- Citrus- and plant-based oils. Natural oils can be used as degreasers (orange, lemon), disinfectants (tea tree, eucalyptus), and polishes (olive). They also freshen the air at the same time.
- Sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, and sodium silicate. These compounds work like phosphates and EDTA to soften water, but without the harmful impact.
- Enzymes. Natural drain openers use digesting bacteria and enzymes to eat through most clogs.
- Non-chlorine bleach. These products use oxygen to whiten and brighten clothes.
- Make your own. Items on your kitchen shelves can serve as effective cleansers�at a fraction of the cost of brand-name products. A paste of baking soda and water, for example, is good for scouring, while diluted white vinegar will clean windows and kill bacteria, mold, and viruses.
Written by: Union of Concerned Scientists
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