Dirty Secrets Of Common Cleaners Revealed

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Expert Opinion

Thursday, November 17, 2011

by Janelle Sorensen, Chief Communications Officer, Healthy Child Healthy World

I remember distinctly the first time I truly read a cleaning product label. I had just started learning about how everyday products are largely unregulated in terms of potential health impacts and I thought, “what’s even in the cleaning products I’m using?” I picked up a bottle of Pledge, flipped it over, and over, and nowhere could I find a simple ingredients list.

I was dumbfounded.

I mean, it’s one thing for me to erroneously assume that whatever is in a product is safe, but to me it was totally another to be using something that was made from ingredients I couldn’t even identify. Not only that, I quickly found out I didn’t even have a right to know - manufacturers had no obligation to tell me.

Nothing much has changed since then - except I switched to a combination of homemade and certifiably non-toxic cleaners and, many manufacturers are using misleading packaging that makes consumers think they’re using something natural and safe.

That second point really gets my goat.

Do you know what’s in your cleaners? A new report by Women’s Voices for the Earth, “Dirty Secrets: What’s Hiding in Your Cleaning Products?” reveals some disturbing facts:

They found hidden toxic chemicals in all products tested. They included carcinogens, reproductive toxins, endocrine disruptors, and allergens.
Tide Free & Gentle, a detergent marketed to and used by moms for infants’ laundry, contained 1,4-dioxane, a known cancer-causing chemical, as did Bounce Free & Sensitive.
Simple Green Naturals also contained 1,4-dioxane as well as phthalates, linked to reproductive harm. Simple Green All-Purpose cleaner contained toluene, linked to pregnancy complications.
Glade Touch Odor contained phthalates, linked to reproductive harm, and galaxolide, linked to hormone disruption.
Clorox Clean-Up contained chloroform and carbon tetrachloride, both linked to cancer.
High levels of allergens appeared in fragranced air fresheners, yet there were no warning labels. Allergens were also found in products marketed as fragrance-free.

None of these chemicals were listed on the product’s label.

Consumers deserve to know what chemicals they are being exposed to, so that they can easily avoid products that may cause allergic reactions or serious long-term health impacts like cancer, birth defects, or pregnancy complications. WVE is calling on Congress to pass new federal legislation that requires cleaning product manufacturers to disclose all the ingredients they use in their products directly on the product label.

The Cleaning Products Right to Know Act will require household cleaning products to bear a label including a full list of product ingredients. This is the first step in pressuring companies to create safer cleaning products. Click-through to ask your legislators to support the Cleaning Products Right to Know Act!

What You Can Do in the Meantime:

Make your own cleaning products! Until we know what’s in the products we buy off the shelf, we can mix our own with safe ingredients like vinegar and baking soda. Here are some great recipes and tips.
If you are concerned about a cleaning product that you currently use (and like), call the company’s toll-free number and inquire about the problem ingredients discussed in this report. Ask the manufacturer to disclose all of their fragrance ingredients and any contaminants, and ask them to remove any phthalates, musks and toxic contaminants from their products.
Find safer cleaning products in Shop Healthy!

Were any of your favorite products on this list? What are your tips for safer cleaning?

Posted by Fran on 12/08/2011 at 12:42 PM

I KNEW I had a reaction to Simple Green! Now I know why. I make my own cleaners (I started with a recipe book, The Naturally Clean Home); plus I use vinegar or baking soda (or both) or Biokleen OxyBleach for almost everything. I used straight coconut oil to clean carrot juice from my Champion juicer (it works on the nylon, not on all-plastic juicers I think). I also clean (kitchen & laundry) with Bio-Kleen enzymes, plus the enzymes on my own site NatureToYou.com. There’s even a site called Nova Spa that sells enzymes for your hot tub! I use this and a tablespoon of liquid bleach after each use of our spa, almost never have to shock the water. It’s so much better than the alternatives for spas.

Posted by Sara on 11/21/2011 at 06:52 AM

Hey Janelle, or any of you are wondering about the chemicals/ingredients that they put in your house hold items, why not switch stores to where you know that they don’t put any chemicals in your products. you can send me an email for more information to where you can get your products from a store without any chemicals. It is an online membership store, and its $1 to sign up until the 30th of November.
Hope to hear from you :)

Posted by Suzanne on 11/19/2011 at 09:02 AM

It amazes me how parents and schools use so many toxic chemicals around childen. My son’s school actually requires the kids to wipe down their desks with chemicals each day. He simply said ‘I am not allowed to use chemicals’ and simply brought antibacterial microfiber instead. Our children need to be empowered to say no when an adult asks them to use a dangerous product.

Posted by Marie Domenici on 11/19/2011 at 06:09 AM

This awareness only proves…what you don’t know can hurt you! Is it no wonder we are seeing children with so many learning disabilities and cancers?

Posted by Biomom on 11/18/2011 at 08:30 PM

I was even surprised to find Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in Seventh Generation’s “Natural” “Free and Clear” 2x concentrated laundry detergent.

Posted by Sarah Bolante on 11/18/2011 at 05:11 PM

I work for a company that provides SAFE alternatives, and I couldn’t be happier, or prouder. Its a disgrace what these other companies do, labeling them “safe to use” and targeting moms!

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