How To Ensure You’re Cleaning with Safe Products

Chemicals are always a concern when it comes to cleaning products – especially if you have children or pets. So how can you be sure that what you are cleaning with is safe? When it comes to chemicals, do not assume anything is safe without doing proper research first.

What should you avoid?

Perchloroethylene

This chemical is most often found in spot removers (dry cleaning) and carpet and upholstery cleaners. As a neurotoxin, Perchloroethylene affects the central nervous system and has even been known to cause liver and kidney damage. 

What can you do? There are a few different ways that dry cleaners have chosen to clean their clothes in an effort to be more environmentally friendly. A couple of these are “wet-cleaning” and using Carbon Dioxide. 

Triclosan

This toxin is not actually proven to be harmful to humans-but can be harmful towards animals. Most commonly known as an antibacterial agent, Triclosan alters hormone regulation in animals. 

What can you do? There are several different options for other antibacterial cleaners that use alternative methods that prove to be more “natural” and less harmful. Although, if you’re still hesitant, there are ways to make your own antibacterial cleaner at home using products such as; vinegar, water, borax, and others.

Ammonia

Ammonia is known to cause skin irritation, burns, and damage to the respiratory tract. Although ammonia is also found in our bodies and in nature, it is extremely common in harmful cleaning products and inhaling ammonia can result in a variety of health effects. 

What can you do? Luckily, there are many companies that have already successfully phased out ammonia and many safe and natural cleaners have taken its place. There are also several ingredients that you probably have laying around your house such as lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, and water that can be mixed to create a safe alternative to ammonia. 

While these are some of the most common toxins that are found in cleaning products, there are many more that you should be on the look-out for in many solutions. Make sure you read the label carefully and double check for any chemicals in question. If you have downtown high rise janitorial cleaning call The Steam Team.