For most people, when they think of spring cleaning. They think about tidying up clutter, cleaning out mouldy rooms, dusting the soft furnishings and getting ready for the change in season to summer.
There is more light from sunshine to brighten rooms, and you can open windows and get more fresh air in to make things less musty or stale. Also, you can clear your home of the build-up of harmful bacteria, viruses, mould, and other allergens that can contribute to poor health.
Some of the hazards associated with spring cleaning include exposure to toxic chemicals in cleaning products. Or when people mix products such as household cleaners and detergents which can give off poisonous gas.
Some of the top hazards include:
- VOC’s volatile organic compounds are gases emitted into the air from products or processes. VOCs can cause headaches, irritate the eyes, mouth and lungs and cause allergies or more serious health problems, possibly including cancer. They can be released from cleaning products or furniture. Sources include paint, varnish, wax, cleaning products, flooring, carpets, and gas stoves. Some familiar VOCs include benzene, formaldehyde, and toluene.
- Dust - is unavoidable, but cleaning with a broom and dry cloth will just stir it up and spread it around, which can contribute to allergic reactions. So, once a week, try using a damp cloth or microfiber to remove dust more effectively. Vacuuming rugs and furniture helps, as does washing linens in hot water to kill dust mites trapped in fabrics.
- Never mix products containing bleach or ammonia- this can create a potentially fatal gas or lead to chronic breathing problems.
- Sulfate’s (SLS, SLES, SCS) -
- Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) is a synthetic detergent used in a wide range of commercial personal care products. SLS belongs to a class of medium to strong surfactants that have high foaming (which people equate to high cleaning) and have low cost. But are also a skin irritant. It can be made from petroleum oil, coconut, or palm oils.
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), also known as Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate, was thought to be milder than SLS, because it goes through a process called ethoxylation to make it gentler. However, during the ethoxylation process, there is potential for contamination with a potential cancer-causing agent 1,4 dioxane.
- Sodium coco sulfate (SDC) - the jury is out on this one; it is more like SLS. Some companies claim that as it is made from coconut only, it is safe, but it may still cause some irritation. Koala Eco does not use any of these three substances.
- Phthalates- these substances can be found in many cleaning products, shampoos, plastic toys, shower curtains and hair sprays. Phthalates have been shown to cause endocrine disruption (may mimic, block, or interfere with the body’s hormones) in humans.
The good news!
There are natural, non-toxic cleaning options available that are carcinogen-free, sensitiser free and as gentle as possible on the environment. Australian NaturalCare stocks two ranges designed to be kinder to your health and the environment.
Simply Clean has a comprehensive range of products that cover cleaning in general, kitchen, laundry, bathroom, plus a handwash. These products contain no artificial fragrances and none of the nasty chemicals often found in home cleaning formulations, such as SLS, SLES, parabens, mineral oils or diethanolamides. They are also free of palm oil and have never been tested on animals.
Koala Eco is made with Australian essential oils and is based on having safe, powerful, plant-based products for a clean home and body. Koala Eco doesn’t use sulphates (SLS, SLES, SCS), triclosan, sodium coco sulphate, parabens, phosphates, formaldehyde, MEA, DEA, TEA, synthetic fragrance, chlorine, bleach, petrochemicals, animal by-products, allergens, perfumes, dyes, caustics, or any nasties.
A final word
Hopefully, this article has given you some insight into some toxins we can avoid introducing into our homes and some food for thought about what is in our everyday cleaning and household products. Hopefully, you feel motivated to look at some alternative cleaning and home products. Even if you don’t feel you can change all your cleaning or body products, have a look and see where you can start making some changes and take it from there.
Extra references
Environmental Protection Authority (US) (2022), What are volatile organic compounds (VOCs)? | US EPA
National Institute of Environmental Sciences (NIES) (2022) Phthalates: The Everywhere Chemical (nih.gov)
