Greener Cleaning Products

We get a lot of questions at Green Action Centre about which cleaning products are the safest. 

Chemicals in some household cleaners are toxic to people and harmful to the environment. Chemical residues often end up in our air, water and bodies, where they can cause problems for human and ecosystem health.

For various chemicals, human health risks may include endocrine disruption, immune system disruption, development disorders in children, allergies, neurotoxicity, and liver or kidney damage. A number of synthetic chemicals biodegrade slowly or not at all. So it makes sense to choose cleaners that are safe and environmentally friendly. Pollution of rivers, lakes and groundwater is a serious problem. A ban on some chemicals (such as phosphorus in detergents) has been proposed as a way to reduce harm to Lake Winnipeg, for example.

For the average consumer, it can be hard to know which substances are dangerous and which are safe.

WHEN CHOOSING PRODUCTS:

• Pay attention to the label or to symbolic warnings indicating the product is poisonous, corrosive, flammable or explosive. If it is, maybe don’t buy or use the stuff.
• Look for products that are safe for children, biodegradable, non-toxic and not tested on animals
• Shop at stores that carry earth-friendly products
• In many cases, manufacturers are not required to list specific ingredients, so you may not be able to tell if a product contains chlorine, formaldehyde, or phosphorus, for example. This is another reason to look for simple products from green manufacturers that share your environmental concerns
• Consider whether you really need to use items such as air fresheners and fabric softeners; there might be an opportunity to rethink those purchases altogether
• In Canada, the Ecologo certification program helps consumers to identify cleaning products that are less harmful to the environment. Look for an Ecologo symbol on the package

HOW DO I KNOW IF WHAT I AM USING IS TOXIC?

If you want to learn about whether or not the products you use have harmful ingredients in them, check out the EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning. This website has a really amazing search engine, and you can look up almost any product you have to find out what is really in it, and how harmful it really is.

One thing we can do to take control is to make our own products. Often, it’s just as easy to make your own. Many of these ‘recipes’ require only a few ingredients and a couple of minutes to mix up. And you probably already have a lot of the ingredients in your kitchen. A basic ingredient list for green cleaning products include things like:

• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Washing soda
• Borax
• Lemon juice
• Olive oil
• Essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, and chamomile 

Be warned though, DIY is addictive and fun!

Note: Please practice caution whenever mixing chemicals