Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Are You Cleaning With Pesticides?

Most parents are concerned about keeping their homesgerm and virus free. The most common way to do thisis with a disinfectant. But did you know that most disinfectants are considered pesticides? While they do provide temporary effectiveness against germs, they are very hazardous especially in aerosol form because the vapors can be inhaled and seep into your skin. You may not think this is bad but consider this; medicines today can be given through a patch or nasal spray because those areas of our body are porous; the medicine seeps through the skin straight to the blood stream. In fact, patches and nasal sprays are the fastest, most effective way to take medicine. Think about that when you are scrubbing the tub and get your cleaners on you or when you inhale the fumes. Because if its on your skin or you breath it in, its now in your body!

What kinds of chemicals in disinfectants are we talking about?


=> Ammonia fumes can irritate eyes and lungs. It can cause burns or rashes on skin. If mixed with products containingchlorine, it can produce deadly chloramine gas.

=> Detergents are toxic and poisonous to ingest, causing nauseaand in extreme cases - coma.

=> Cresol is corrosive to tissue leading to damage to the liver, kidneys, lungs, pancreas and spleen

=> Lye is a caustic product that burns skin and can cause blindness.

=> Phenol is a neurotoxin meaning it can cause central nervous system depression. It can severely affect circulatory system as well. It is corrosive to skin. Finally, it's a suspected carcinogen (causing cancer).

=> Pine Oil irritates eyes and mucous membranes.

No wonder many environmental health organizations suchas the EPA and the Consumer Products Safety Commission attribute household products to the rise of a variety of ailments such as asthma, allergies and even cancer. Its important to note that these ailments are not attributed to the improper use or accidental poisoning. They are thought the be result of just using the product without gloves or masks, and the lack of ventilation in homes (homes are more energy efficient now which is good for lower power bills but bad for trapping the outgassing of household products thus causing indoor air pollution).

What's even more concerning is that manufacturer's are not required to list every single ingredient in their products that are used in homes. The results can be tragic because without proper labeling, the Poison Control Centers cannot help provide intervention when accidental poisoning occurs. The best way to kill germs in a manner that is safe for you and your family is to opt for non-toxic cleaners that don't have phenol, lye and other dangerous chemicals that are known to cause cancer, neurological problems or other irritations.

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