Most of us associate smells with how clean something is or how new it might be. We’re accustomed to numerous smells in a days’ time and don’t realize that even the pleasant ones can be dangerous. If it doesn’t smell, it can’t be too clean, right? Not necessarily.
Usually a smell that lingers does so only with a synthetic chemical that gives it staying power. In many commercial products, you can find deadly substances such as formaldehyde, pesticides and known carcinogens (cancer-causing). My last “In HOPE” column exposed the problem in the U.S.: there is no protection from the EPA, as there is no regulation on what is allowed inside our household products. Other countries have banned the use of these deadly ingredients and we need to follow suit.
Clothes Causing Cancer?
Let’s pick on fabric softeners first. I grew up with the popular brand (in the blue bottle), loving the smell of my clothes…it reminded me of my Mother for years. BUT, that sweet, lingering smell comes at quite a cost. Julia Kennedy, Co-Chair, Citizens for a Toxic-Free Marin, wrote about fabric softeners in 1995, exposing their dangers. She died 2 years later from Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and Leukemia caused by pesticide poisoning.
Julia exposed 9 principal chemicals used in fabric softeners: Alpha-Terpineol, Benzyl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Camphor, Chloroform, Ethyl Acetate, Limonene, Linalool and Pentane.
Some of these chemicals are on the EPA’s hazardous waste list. Many of them are known to cause CNS disorders (Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, ADD, SIDS, strokes and seizures) and are linked to pancreatic cancer and respiratory irritation. Two of them are narcotics and cause damage to the liver and kidneys. What is this stuff doing on store shelves and on our clothes?
Consider your laundry detergents and dryer sheets…also likely to include toxins. Many new dryers warn against the use of traditional dryer sheets due to the build up of chemicals on the drum, vents and filter. The High Efficiency washers require HE detergent, to preserve the life of the motor. Traditional products contain the same chemicals, and they aggravate Asthma, Allergies, Dermatitis and Eczema.
Home Not-So-Sweet Home
Look at bathroom and kitchen cleaners. Chances are, if you’re cleaning with a commercial product, you can’t escape the smell, it burns itself into your sinuses and radiates throughout your house. Those smells can be very hazardous to your family’s health.
Sodium Hypochlorite is in many products, which can cause nerve damage, digestive problems and respiratory system damage. Personally, I got many headaches and dizziness while disinfecting my house with Pine-scented products and Ammonia…side effects I thought were necessary to do the job properly.
Even that sweet smelling furniture polish can cause irritation to skin, eyes, nose, throat and lungs! Let’s not forget that it is also highly ignitable and often carcinogenic.
Most commercial chemicals are petroleum-based, synthetic and costly in many ways. We shouldn’t be using our limited natural resources (like petroleum) unless we have no viable options.
Better alternatives are available in natural remedies and organic cleaners and soap, and yes, they also can smell very nice. Before you trust a product, check out its ingredients so you can avoid “Greenwashing”. Don’t believe the “all natural” claims in the marketplace, do your research beforehand. Look up a product’s MSDS (material safety data sheet). At home, let your nose be your guide!
For more information on household product ingredients to avoid, contact me at verdemom@ymail.com and I will mail you a free wallet-sized card. (Unless you have a chemical degree and a propensity for inhaling toxins, in which case you may not need one!)
Keep your household healthier with a few key changes…In Honor of Planet Earth.
In H.O.P.E.,
Tracy Himes (“Verde Mom”)
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