eco home
Many people are interested in not only keeping their home clean, but removing harmful Volatile Organic Compounds that are emitted by certain chemicals. Does that mean you are reduced to cleaning with only vinegar and water? Of course not! What you do want for a safer surface and air environment in your home are cleaners that don’t contain solvents, have a neutral pH, and are biodegradable. Removing those elements from your cleaning supplies ensures air to breath that doesn’t contain toxic fumes and no harmful residue on your surface.
Avoid Volatile Organic Compounds – There is a name for the dangerous and health-affecting fumes that are emitted from certain liquids and solids, Volatile Organic Compounds. These fumes tend to build up in a enclosed environment and according to the EPA can be as much as ten times higher in density in a home than when used outside. Lack of ventilation is the prime culprit in the accumulation of these fumes which can come from such common household items as cleaning supplies, air fresheners, dry cleaned clothing, plywood, and paint and paint removers.
Oftentimes after cleaning, you may notice you have a headache or your eyes are irritated. These symptoms and other side-effects of Volatile Organic Compounds, such as dizziness, asthma attacks, and flu-like symptoms. These short-term and the longer term effect, such as cancer, are linked to VOCs. While this is not healthy for any individual, there are certain groups who seem to be more affected. These would include babies and children, the elderly, pregnant and nursing women, and those individuals without fully functioning immune systems. As the fumes linger in the home for hours after use, it is important to eliminate as much VOC causing products as possible.
If you are like most people starting to learn about this subject, you could go to where you store your cleaning supplies right now and you would find that every product emits Volatile Organic Compounds. Unless you already buy pH neutral and biodegradable, the cleaners you use for your floors, tubs, carpets, countertops, grill, and windows all produce Volatile Organic Compounds. You know now that using them produces these fumes that last for hours, but even sitting there, unused, they emit gasses.
Neutral pH – Another new plus in your cleaning arsenal is going to be the use of products that have a neutral pH. A compound with a pH of 7.0 is considered neutral, being neither alkaline or acidic. This means it will be non-reactive to when it touches a surface, when it touches your skin, and when it reacts with the environment when it exits your home through the drainage system and gets into the water. When a compound has a high pH (over 7.0) it is alkaline, such as bleach. A lower pH (under 7.0) means it is acidic, such as battery acid. Quite expectantly, both of these are highly corrosive to surfaces and skin.
In your home you may have many surfaces that require careful cleaning, such as marble and certain tiles. These surfaces won’t be harmed by neutral pH products. Even more important, this type of product will not damage your skin.
No Solvents – If you knew something was toxic and carcinogenic to the environment and the people who used them, you probably would avoid use. Common household products often contain solvents such as Ethylene Glycol Ethers (EGEs), alcohols, esthers, and Propylene Glycol Ethers (PGEs). You won’t be surprised to learn these are corrosive chemical ingredients.
Biodegradable – Out of sight and out of mind. This could describe the products and chemicals that go down our drains when we clean. This doesn’t mean, however, that the environment is out of trouble. Common cleaning chemicals pollute instead of changing and then dissolving into co-factors that are non-harmful. Some biodegradables contribute even further to dissipation by speeding up the time it takes to do so.
Few decisions are as easy as the one involved in changing from harsh chemical cleaners to natural multipurpose cleaners. This one step removes toxic fumes and residue from your home surfaces and the very air you breathe. Replacing your existing cleaners with green cleaning products protects your home and your loved ones, as well as making a positive environmental impact. A terrific decision all around!
Panasonic Showcases Ecological Lifestyle at Eco-Products 2009
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