Home cleansing products that affect your health

Most of the time we are obsessed with that sparkling clean look of our living spaces such that we are desperate to use any product that will prove good enough.

Most of the time, these products that we so dearly use have advanced effects on our health.

Cleaning ingredients vary in the type of health hazard they pose. Some cause acute, or immediate, hazards such as skin or respiratory irritation, watery eyes, or chemical burns, while others are associated with chronic, or long-term, effects such as cancer.

Bleaches are the most dangerous if they get on your skin. Hypochlorite products have caustic soda in them and that's quite dangerous so you have to be very careful about splashes, if you leave it on your skin for more than a few minutes, it will damage the skin causing a chemical burn.

It is true that some air fresheners on the market today make use of harsh chemicals to eliminate or overpower odors. “Many air fresheners contain nerve-deadening chemicals that coat your nasal passages and temporarily block your sense of smell,” reports National Geographic’s The Green Guide.

Some of the most offensive ingredients—volatile organic compounds (VOCs), benzene and formaldehyde—can cause headaches and nausea and aggravate asthma, and have been linked to neurological damage and cancer.

Most of the liquid dishwashing detergents contain Triclosan which is an aggressive antibacterial agent that can promote the growth of drug-resistant bacteria. It is advised that you use simple detergents and soaps with short ingredient lists, and avoid antibacterial products with triclosan for home use. If you’re hooked on hand sanitizer, choose one that is alcohol-based and without triclosan.

Quats which are mostly found in Fabric softener liquids pose the same problem as triclosan by helping breed antibiotic-resistant bacteria. They’re also a skin irritant; one 10-year study of contact dermatitis found quats to be one of the leading causes. You don’t really need fabric softener or dryer sheets to soften clothes or get rid of static: Simple vinegar works just as well.

It is mostly found in Polishing agents for bathroom fixtures, sinks and jewelry; also, in glass cleaner. Because ammonia evaporates and doesn’t leave streaks, it’s another common ingredient in commercial window cleaners. That sparkle has a price. Ammonia is a powerful irritant.