Silent killers may be lurking under your kitchen sink.
Bright colors and expensive marketing campaigns trick us into believing that popular household products are safe for us and our families. But truth be told, most household cleaners are dangerously toxic.
Continue reading for a breakdown of the most dangerous substances living under your kitchen sink, and learn ways to replace them with safer, more natural options that really work. Disclosure: Links contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting WellNeith and allowing us to continue to bring you valuable content.
#1 - Air Fresher
The fragrances (even those marked unscented) can trigger asthma and allergies. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) reviewed 2,000 household cleaning products in 2012 and found that 53% of cleaning products contain ingredients harmful to the lungs AND 22% of cleaning products contain chemicals known to cause asthma in otherwise healthy people.
Room Spray Recipe: 4 oz glass bottle ; 2 oz (4 Tbsp) water ; 1 oz (2 Tbsp) witch hazel (my choice) or alcohol (pure vodka works) ; 20-40 drops of the essential oils of your choice (I mix scents based on the room and the mood I want to set)
WellNeith Favorites: Natural Alternatives-AIR FRESHNER
Open your windows and let nature clean and freshen the air
Use a diffuser and essential oils
Make your own room spray
Room Spray Recipe: 4 oz glass bottle ; 2 oz (4 Tbsp) water ; 1 oz (2 Tbsp) witch hazel (my choice) or alcohol (pure vodka works) ; 20-40 drops of the essential oils of your choice (I mix scents based on the room and the mood I want to set)
#2 - Dish Detergent
The main ingredient in automatic and hand dishwashing detergents is phosphate. Automatic dishwashing detergents are known to produce skin irritations or burns and may be poisonous if swallowed.
WellNeith Favorites: Natural Alternatives-DISH DETERGENT
#3 - Laundry Detergent
These products contain enzymes (as noted by the names "cationic," "anionic" or "non-ionic" on the label) to loosen stains and ground-in dirt. Cationic detergents are the most toxic when taken internally. Ingestion can result in nausea, vomiting, shock, convulsions and coma. "Non-ionic" detergents are less toxic but can irritate skin and eyes or make you more sensitive to other chemicals. Asthma can develop if a person is exposed to large quantities of detergent. Detergents are also responsible for many household poisonings from accidental swallowing.
WellNeith Favorites: Natural Alternatives-LAUNDRY DETERGENT
#4 - All-Purpose Cleaner
These products usually contain detergents, grease-cutting agents, solvents and/or disinfectants. The specific chemicals in these ingredients include ammonia, ethylene glycol monobutyl acetate, sodium hypochlorite and/or trisodium phosphate. Depending on the ingredients used, all-purpose cleaners can irritate the skin, eyes, nose and throat. They can be highly poisonous to both humans and animals if swallowed.
WellNeith Favorites: Natural Alternatives-ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER
Make Your Own All-Purpose Cleaner
As you all know by now, I'm all about home-cooked and homemade, so I like to make my own cleaning products when it makes sense. All you need for this simple recipe is a glass or stainless steel spray bottle, distilled white vinegar, water (optional) and essential oils
Recipe: 1 16 oz. Glass Spray bottle ; 10-15 drops essential oil of choice (I use lemon, tea tree & peppermint); 12 ozs Distilled White vinegar; 4 ozs of water (this is optional if you prefer to dilute but I like the full strength of the vinegar).
You can safely use this homemade all-purpose cleaner all over your home, worry-free!
#5 - Fabric Softner & Dryer Sheets
According to the health and wellness website Sixwise.com, some of the most harmful ingredients in dryer sheets and liquid fabric softener alike include benzyl acetate (linked to pancreatic cancer), benzyl alcohol (an upper respiratory tract irritant), ethanol (linked to central nervous system disorders), limonene (a known carcinogen) and chloroform (a neurotoxin and carcinogen), among others. While it may be nice to have clothes that feel soft, smell fresh and are free of static cling, the harmful effects are not a price you should be willing to pay.
WellNeith Favorites: Natural Alternatives-Fabric Softner & Dryer Sheets
I personally DO NOT use these two products (natural or otherwise) but many love these products so here are my top suggestions for this category.
Use Dryer Balls and 5-10 drops of Essential Oils to replace dryer sheets
Use Distilled White Vinegar to soften fabrics naturally. Just add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser or to a fabric softener ball.
#6 - Bleach
According to ScienceDaily, “researchers have now discovered that bleach fumes, in combination with light and a citrus compound found in many household products, can form airborne particles that might be harmful when inhaled by pets or people.”
Products containing bleach emit hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and chlorine gas (Cl2) that can amass in dangerous levels in households. When these two gases react with light plus the citrus chemicals in common household cleaning products (for example lemon or orange-scented cleaners) or raw citric acid in foods (such as where lemons for garnishing were recently cut at the bar, or a food prep area where lemon juice was spilled), they form secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) that are often linked to various health effects throughout the body. As such, it is important to understand exactly how chlorine bleach impacts human health and the environment, as well as to be aware of bleach-free alternatives.
And I must note that you should Never mix chlorine bleach with any other household cleaning products and especially not with ammonia. When bleach is mixed with other chemicals, harmful reactions can occur. Specific combinations can create completely toxic, hazardous chemicals. The following are product combinations that you should never make:
Bleach + vinegar = toxic chlorine gas;
Bleach + ammonia = toxic chloramine vapors;
Bleach + rubbing alcohol = chloroform;
Bleach + certain cleaning products = toxic chloramine vapors.
WellNeith Favorites: Natural Alternatives-BLEACH REPLACEMENT
STOP USING BLEACH!! :)
#7 - Window & Glass Cleaner
The basic ingredients of window/glass cleaners are ammonia and isopropanol. These products may be irritating to the eyes, skin, nose, and throat. If swallowed, they may cause drowsiness, unconsciousness or death. Yikes!
WellNeith Favorites: Natural Alternatives-GLASS CLEANER
I personally use good ol' fashioned Distilled White Vinegar for a streak- free shine
#8 - Antibacterial Cleaners
Triclosan is an aggressive antibacterial agent that can promote the growth of drug-resistant bacteria, and its used in your anti-bacterial cleaners. Yikes!
WellNeith Favorites: Natural Alternatives-ANTI-BACTERIAL CLEANERS
The BEST thing to do for this category is to make it yourself. All you need is a glass or stainless steel spray bottle, distilled white vinegar, water (optional) and essential oils
Recipe: 1-16 oz. Glass Spray bottle ; 10-15 drops essential oil of choice (I use citronella, tea tree & eucalyptus); 12 ozs White vinegar; 4 ozs of water (this is optional if you prefer to dilute but I like the full strength of the vinegar).
You can safely use this homemade disinfectant cleaner all over your home, worry-free!
Categorizing Chemicals
The majority of these toxic chemicals found in household cleaners can be placed into one of three categories:
Carcinogens – causes cancer in living tissue
Endocrine Disruptors – chemical compounds that interfere with the normal functioning of the endocrine system and the reproductive and other biological processes regulated by it. These toxins mimic human hormones and cause false signals within the body and lead to issues such as infertility, premature puberty, miscarriage, menstrual issues, ADHD and even cancer.
Neurotoxins – a poison that is destructive to nerve tissue and the nervous system. These toxins affect brain activity and trigger issues such as headaches and memory loss.
Why even play around with exposing ourselves or our loved ones to these types of dangers? Let's just find safe(r), natural & gentler alternatives for the products we need to keep our homes squeaky clean.
Or, we just can just make EVERYTHING ourselves!
My favorite DIY natural home cleaning book has 100+ formulas for a toxic-free home. You will be amazed at how simple (& safe) it is to make your own cleaning solutions...and its fun!
Do Your BEST!!
Now that you have this new information, act on it! Do the best that you can with where you are right now. Do your own research and start detoxing your home NOW! Because, your health is only as good as the foods and products that you consume.
Your Partner in Wellness,
Neith Ra
Don't know where to start? Book your free Wellness Discovery Call HERE! Now is the time to stop DIY'ing your way to wellness and start a whole-life journey with expert support.
Need meal inspiration? Order your digital copy of WellNeith® Eats recipe e-book NOW! Enjoy 42 fast and easy plant-powered recipes curated just for you.
Sources:
1. 8 Hidden Toxins: What’s Lurking in Your Cleaning Products, Experience Life by Life Time, hhttps://experiencelife.lifetime.life/article/8-hidden-toxins-whats-lurking-in-your-cleaning-products/.
2. 7 Toxic Household Cleaners to Avoid, Don’t Mess with Mama, https://dontmesswithmama.com/7-toxic-household-cleaners-avoid-problem-natural-store-bought-cleaners/.
3. Household Cleaning Products and Their Health Risks, Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11397-household-chemical-products-and-their-health-risk.
4. Environmental Working Group’s Healthy Cleaning, EWG, https://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners/.
5. “Greener” Laundry by the Load: Fabric Softener versus Dryer Sheets, Scientific American, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/greener-laundry/#.
6. Is Bleach Toxic? Effects of Chlorine Bleach, Sani Professional, https://saniprofessional.com/is-bleach-toxic/.
Disclosure: Links contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting WellNeith and allowing us to continue to bring you valuable content.