PaperlessKitchen Blog

What is Inside Your Cleaning Products?

If you want to find out what's contained in your shampoo, bar of soap or can of spaghetti sauce, you can simply turn the product and look for the ingredient list.

Ever tried that with a cleaning product?

Unlike foods and beauty products, cleaning product packaging is not as strictly regulated by federal laws. The Federal Hazardous Substances Act does require products to bear warning labels that indicate if a substance contains poisons, is flammable or could harm the skin; however, the law does not mandate that ingredient listings be provided.

Unfortunately, many of the ingredients in green cleaning products that are legal under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act are known toxins and have been proven to pose health risks to certain population groups.

Examples are:

 - Sodium nitrate

- Propylene glycol

- Oxalic acid

- Ethyl alcohol

- Triethanolamine

- Sulfuric acid

- Acrylic acid

- Para-dichlorobenzene

- Bromine

So what can you do to protect your family from toxins? Here are some easy tips:

- Use the National Institute of Health's Household Products Database to look up the full ingredient lists of household cleaners. 

- Research ingredients that you're not familiar with.

- Look for the warning symbols posted on packages. If a product can burn your skin or is poisonous, it's very likely to contain toxins.

- Switch to natural brands of cleaning products like Method or Mrs. Meyers.

- Use cleaning tools that work with just water like e-Cloth cleaning cloths or steam cleaners.

 Curious about an ingredient or a particular product's safety? Post a question here in the comments and we'll try to help you find answers.

The Borax Buzz

Boric acid or Borax is hardly a new chemical. Anthropologists have found evidence that suggests the Ancient Chinese were using boric acid in ceramic glazes as early as the 10th century. By 1702, the secret to producing boric acid in laboratories had been perfected and by the late 19th century, the first cleaning products that contained boric acid or Borax were being manufactured.

As a cleaning agent, Borax's benefits are undeniable. Boric acid has the ability to amplify the effects of bleach and other cleansing agents and is capable of eliminating bacteria. With its proven effectiveness, Borax is a commonplace ingredient in many kitchen cleaners; however, the more we learn about the effects of boric acid on the body, the more the safety of its use becomes questionable.

Several studies have determined that Borax is a toxin that can have profound effects on the body. One 2009 research trial conducted at Thammasat University in Thailand, for example, found that the chemical has the ability to cause genetic defects and cellular toxicity in humans. A 2006 research study conducted by the USDA Forest Service showed the potential for boric acid to cause myriad reproductive problems from sterility to low fetal birth weights.

Still, proponents of boric acid state that high doses of boric acid are required to cause toxicity. Also, many studies focus on the ingestion of boric acid, not its use as a surface cleaning agent or detergent. Still, one can't help but wonder just how safe it is to bite into an apple that has been sitting on a counter top that was just cleaned with Borax scrub.

Many green cleaning companies now offer products that are free of boric acid, packaging them in biodegradable wipes that are easy to use. While the health effects of boric acid still remain in question, switching to chemical-free cleaning can give you some peace of mind.

What do you think about Borax? Do you know what products in your home contain it?

10 Reasons to Push for Chemical Free Cleaning in Your Home

If you follow green living trends, you've surely heard of the concept of chemical free cleaning before. All across the country, people are finding ways to reduce the number of chemicals in their kitchens and other rooms of their homes by using eco-friendly cleaning cloths and naturally-based cleaning solutions.

Looking for some motivation to ditch those chemical cleaning products in your home? If so, check out our list of 10 benefits of chemical-free cleaning.

1. Healthier Families Studies have repeatedly shown that reducing the amount of chemicals present in homes has a beneficial effect upon the immune system, resulting in fewer illnesses. New research even suggests that cutting back on chemicals can help with chronic conditions, too. For example, a 2012 study at Johns Hopkins University found that children who were repeatedly exposed to antibacterial chemicals were more likely to develop allergies than those who weren't.

2. Happier Pets Your pets can also be negatively impacted by chemicals that you commonly use in your home, particularly room deodorizers, carpet cleaners and the synthetic sheets used on dry mops like the Swiffer. The ASPCA has published a full list of potentially hazardous products on their website. (link http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/ask-the-expert/ask-the-expert-poison-control/cleaning-products-2.aspx)

3. Improved Appearance The skin on your hands can become irritated by common ingredients in a wide variety of household cleaning products, including glass cleaner and metal polishes. Nitrobenzene found in many furniture polishes can even cause skin discoloration in some people.

4. Better Indoor Air Quality Chemical cleaning products, particularly those that come in spray form, can have a detrimental effect on the indoor air quality of your home. One study conducted by The American Thoracic Society found that regularly using spray cleaners increases one's risk of developing adult asthma.

5. More Effective Cleaning Using the right eco-friendly cleaning cloths can produce better cleaning results that traditional chemical-laden cleaning products. For example, the eCloth cleaning cloth removes up to 99.9 percent of bacteria found in homes when used with water alone.

6. Safer Meals The chemicals that you use to clean your kitchen can linger on your counter tops, cutting boards and your other cooking utensils as well as in your sink. When you prepare foods, you may unknowingly contaminate them with trace amounts of these chemicals.

7. Greener Planet When you empty your water bucket after cleaning, throw away the seemingly empty bottles of your cleaning products or rinse your chemical-covered rag in the sink, you are releasing chemicals into our environment. The cumulative effects of everyone doing the same are profound. As an example, the United States Geological Survey found traces of laundry detergent in 70 percent of the streams and rivers in the county.

8. Lower Costs Using water and a reusable, washable eco-friendly cleaning cloth is far more economical that purchasing chemical cleaning products on a regular basis. One study found that the average family spends $639 per year on chemical cleaning products. Subtract the cost of a green cleaning cloth from that amount, and you'll see hundreds of dollars of savings annually.

9. Less Time Wasted Because cleaning cloths and natural cleaning solutions are often more effective at eliminating dirt than chemical products, you'll find that chemical-free cleaning takes far less time.

10. Protection for Counter Tops and Appliances Some cleaners can harm the finish on your counter tops or appliances. Using plain water or a natural cleaning solution eliminates this risk and protects your investment.