Cleaning Product Ingredients to Avoid, Environmentally Dangerous Chemicals That Are Not Part of a Green Cleaning System

Background
Product Ingredients to Avoid
Butyl Cellosolve
Chlorine
Ethylene Glycol
EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid)
Formaldehyde
Hydrochloric Acid
NPE (Nonylphenol Ethoxylate)
NTA (Nitrilotriacetic Acid)
Phosphates
Silica
Sodium Hydroxide

Background

As environmentally friendly green cleaning becomes more popular, knowing what cleaning product ingredients to avoid becomes as important as what to use.

Product Ingredients to Avoid

Butyl Cellosolve

Butyl Cellosolve is commonly found in all-purpose cleaners, cleaning wipes, degreasers, floor polish, carpet shampoo, toilet, bath and tile cleaners plus some window cleaners. It can cause irritation and tissue damage by inhalation and it is easy to exceed safe exposure limits. A person who spends 15 minutes cleaning a small bathroom may inhale 3 times the acute exposure dose of butyl cellosolve.

Chlorine

Aside from its use in home swimming pools, chlorine in domestic situations tends to come from bleach, dishwashing detergent, laundry soaps and powders plus some cleaning gels. Chlorinated dishwasher soap poisons over one million children in the USA every year. Even the steam from a dishwasher contains chlorine fumes.

Ethylene Glycol

Ethylene glycol is an odourless, colorless, syrupy, sweet tasting liquid that is highly toxic. It is commonly found in the garage as motor vehicle antifreeze but is also found inside the house in window and glass cleaners, spot removers, silver polish and jewellery polish.

EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid)

EDTA is used as a water softener in detergents. It is also used to stabilize cosmetics, as a preservative in prepackaged foods and in soft drinks to stop the formation of the carcinogen benzene. EDTA can cause reproductive and developmental defects.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is used in some disinfectants as it kills most bacteria, fungi and fungi spores. Other uses are as an embalmer, in plug in air fresheners and in building materials where it ends up contributing to poor indoor air quality. The problem is formaldehyde is a known carcinogen.

Hydrochloric Acid

Varying strengths of hydrochloric acid is used in a range of household cleaners including indoor and outdoor tile cleaners plus bathroom and toilet cleaners. Depending on the strength, hydrochloric acid can cause severe skin damage, respiratory distress by breathing fumes or death if swallowed.

NPE (Nonylphenol Ethoxylate)

NPE is found in spray cleaners, degreasers, carpet stain removers and laundry detergents. It may disrupt the proper function of body hormones.

NTA (Nitrilotriacetic Acid)

NTA is a harmful replacement for phosphates and can be found in some powdered laundry soap. Although NTA is easily biodegradable and is almost completely removed during wastewater treatment, it is a carcinogen.

Phosphates

Phosphates are an environmental hazard that promotes weed and algae to grow in lakes and rivers. Phosphates are found in soaps, gels and washing powders.

Silica

Silica is an abrasive included in some clenaing products. Superfine, dry silica may cause some cancers if inhaled over extended periods of time.

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium hydroxide inhalation irritates the respiratory tract while contact can cause severe damage to the eyes, skin, mouth and throat. Exposure can also cause liver and kidney damage. Sodium hydroxide is found in dishwashing liquids, laundry products, scourers, oven cleaners and bathroom cleaners.

Source: AZoCleantech