Getting to Know Your Household Cleaners

They say you never know someone until you know where they are coming from. Maybe it’s time we got to know our hazardous cleaners on a deeper level…

This guide gives an overview of the hazardous cleaning products found in the average home. Remember to always read the labels, as they will give you the necessary information about that specific item.

By law, hazardous products must be labeled, and different signal words help a consumer identify how toxic or dangerous the item is. “Danger” and “poison” are used for the most hazardous products, with “warning” and “caution” for the lesser. The labels will also explain how to safely use and store them. Always follow the label instructions and try to keep the product in its original container. If you must use a different container, be sure it is clearly labeled.

Glass Cleaner

Glass cleaner is one of the less-dangerous items on your shelf, but should still be used with caution. It sometimes irritates the eyes, nose, throat or skin, so wearing gloves is always a good idea. Many window cleaners contain ammonia. Ammonia should never be mixed with a chlorine-containing product, because it creates chlorine gas. What’s so bad about chlorine gas? Well, it was used as chemical warfare in WWI. The greenish gas burns the skin and can be fatal if a heavy concentration is inhaled.

Carpet Cleaner

Carpet cleaner, especially spot cleaner, often contains chemicals. An area being cleaned should always have good ventilation and gloves, again, are a good idea. The basic ingredients in a carpet cleaner are perchloroethylene and naphthalene.

The word Perchloroethylene is a mouthful, but you definitely don’t want a mouthful of it. It is a man-produced colorless liquid that is mostly used in dry-cleaning. Short-term exposure can cause dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, sweating and headaches. Laboratory tests show that long-term exposure can cause cancer or damage the liver.

Naphthalene is found naturally in fossil fuels like coal and oil. It is commonly used to make mothballs. Exposure to large doses of naphthalene causes severe damage to red blood cells. Fortunately, just cleaning your carpet will not likely have this effect, but eating mothballs surely will.

Cleaners Containing Chlorine Bleach

With reason, the strong pesticide chemical sodium hypochlorite (bleach) is often found in toilet, shower and other household cleaners. Bleach kills bacteria, fungi and mold. It is also extremely corrosive, which means it eats away materials and destroys living tissue when contact occurs. It can cause severe damage to the eyes and skin. Sodium hypochlorite is assigned the highest degree of toxicity by the EPA. One should always wear gloves when using products with bleach.

Also, it is important never to mix chlorine cleaners with other cleaners to avoid the chemical warfare effect mentioned above.

Furniture Polish

You may have seen the phrase “contains petroleum distillates” printed on your furniture polish. The term “petroleum distillates” refers to a wide range of compounds extracted from crude oil (the stuff taken out of the ground). Some of them have a pleasant smell and other desired properties, so they are used to make everything from lip gloss, to fertilizer, to furniture polish. If swallowed, these compounds are extremely dangerous. They can cause chemical pneumonia, or inflammation of the lungs.

Drain Cleaner

Drain cleaner packs a powerful punch. It can quickly dissolve build-ups and clear your pipes, but it can also eat away at paint, skin and even some metals. The dangerous ingredients are lye and sulfuric acid. Both fumes and physical contact are very dangerous. It is important to wear gloves and ventilate the area you are cleaning. Breathing in, or especially swallowing drain cleaner causes severe damage and sometimes death. It continues to damage the esophagus and stomach for weeks after the cleaner is consumed.