What Is It And What Is In It?

What Is It And What Is In It?

From EPA website (plus other sources)

Air Fresheners:

What's in it?

There are four basic ingredients in air fresheners:

formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, p-dichlorobenzene, and aerosol propellants.

Air fresheners are usually highly flammable and also strong irritants to eyes, skin, and throat. Additionally, the solid fresheners usually cause death if eaten by people or pets.

Commercial air fresheners contain harmful volatile chemicalsNational Institutes of Health, 2006.

Chemicals in Many Air Fresheners May Reduce Lung Function.



Air fresheners contain phthalates, VOCs such as xylene, ketones and aldehydes86 as well as benzene and formaldehyde, both of which are known carcinogens.

BEUC (2005). Emission of chemicals by air fresheners: tests on 74 consumer products sold in EuropeBureau Europeen du Consommateurs (BEUC), the European Consumers Union, and International Consumer Research and Testing, January 2005.



Babies under six months old who were exposed to air fresheners on most days had 30% more ear infections and a 22% greater chance of diarrhea than babies exposed less than once a week. Edwards, R. (1999). Far From Fragrant. New Scientist 2202, September 4, 1999.



Mold and Mildew Removers:

What is it?

Household products that contain mold and mildew removers usually come as a liquid in a spray container. If you are old enough to do cleaning chores around your house, you've probably used a cleaner with a mold and mildew remover.



The pesticide chemicals found in mold and mildew removers are chlorine and alkyl ammonium chlorides. These pesticides are known as fungicides. The chemicals in mold and mildew removers can be very caustic. That is, these cleaners can be corrosive to objects and harmful to humans. It's a good idea to wear latex dishwashing gloves to help protect your skin when using these products. If you get some on your skin wash it off immediately.



Cleaners with mold and mildew removers may also cause breathing problems and if swallowed, they will burn your throat.



Antibacterial Cleaner:

What is it?

Antibacterial cleaners remove dirt and kill bacteria. They are commonly used in the kitchen to clean things that come in contact with food, like cutting boards and counter tops.

What's in it?

Antibacterial cleaners usually contain water, a fragrance, a surfactant, and a pesticide. The surfactant breaks up the dirt, the pesticide kills the bacteria, the fragrance makes it smell good and the water holds the cleaner together. In antibacterial cleaners the pesticides are commonly quaternary ammonium or phenolic chemicals. They are known as antimicrobial pesticides.

Antibacterial cleaners are very irritating to your eyes and skin and will burn your throat. It's a good idea to wear latex dishwashing gloves to help protect your skin when using these cleaners. If you get some on the cleaner on your skin or in your eyes, wash it off immediately.







Toilet Cleaners:

What is it?

Toilet cleaners clean and disinfect, or kill germs, in toilets.



What's in it?

You probably wouldn't think these cleaners have pesticides in them, but they do. The pesticide is the disinfectant. This type of pesticide is known as an antimicrobial pesticide.

The pesticide chemicals usually found in toilet cleaners are sodium hypochlorite or bleach.

What health and safety things do you need to think about when using toilet cleaners?

Toilet bowl cleaners also have other chemicals in them too, like hydrochloric acid. Never mix a toilet bowl cleaner with any other household or cleaning products. Doing so can result in poisonous gasses being released and cause very serious breathing problems. Always be sure when cleaning your bathrooms that the room has plenty of ventilation. Leave the door open and use the exhaust fan, if you have one.



Most disinfectant cleaners are very irritating to your eyes and skin and will burn your throat. It's a good idea to wear latex dishwashing gloves to help protect your skin from splashes when using toilet cleaners. If you splash some on your skin wash it off immediately.



All-Purpose Cleaner:

What is it?

An All-purpose cleaner is a kind of cleaner which can be used for many different kinds of clean-up jobs around the house (such as to clean windows, mop floors, or to clean kitchen and other appliances).



What's in it?

All-purpose cleaners may use many different kinds of ingredients, such as detergents, grease-cutting agents, solvents, and disinfectants. All-purpose cleaners can contain hazardous chemicals such as:

Ammonia



sodium hypochlorite

trisodium phosphate

Depending upon the ingredients used, all-purpose cleaners can irritate the skin, eyes, nose, and throat. They can be highly poisonous if swallowed. Some of these chemicals have a sweet smell which attracts animals and can poison them, too.



When using all purpose cleaners, follow these safety steps:

Wear rubber gloves to protect your skin

Be sure that there is good air circulation in the room.

Open several windows or keep a fan running.

NEVER mix two cleaners of different kinds together, especially if one contains ammonia and the other contains chlorine. This can produce a gas called chloramine, and breathing its fumes could be fatal.





Dishwashing Detergents :

What is it?

These products are detergents used to wash dishes primarily in the kitchen. These detergents are divided into two categories: automatic dishwashing detergents and hand dishwashing detergents. These cleaners are usually kept in the kitchen.



What's in it?

The main ingredient usually used in these detergents is phosphate.

Automatic dishwashing detergents have been known to produce skin irritations or burns. They are poisonous if swallowed.



Hand dishwashing detergents are more mild than automatic dishwashing detergents. If swallowed, it may cause irritation to the mouth and throat, and nausea but not death. Keep them away from small children to minimize the risk of accidental poisoning.





Window or Glass Cleaners:

What's in it?

The basic ingredients of window/glass cleaners are ammonia and isopropanol.

These products may be irritating to the eyes, skin, nose, and throat. If swallowed, they may cause drowsiness, unconsciousness, or death. Always wear glove to use these products and use in a well ventilated area.









Chlorine Bleach:

What is it?

You wouldn't think that ordinary chlorine bleach is a pesticide - but it is. Because it kills bacteria- and viruses it is called a disinfectant or an antimicrobial pesticide. And because it kills fungi and molds it is also known as a fungicide.



What's in it?

Standard household bleach contains the chemical sodium hypochlorite.

Liquid bleach in the bottle is a 5.25% sodium hypochlorite solution. That means 5.25% of the liquid is the chemical sodium hypochlorite and the rest is mostly water. The number 5.25% tells you how strong the concentration of a chemical is. Look at the labels of other household cleaning products that contain bleach in your home. Some contain sodium hypochlorite or chlorine bleach in concentrations of .7%, 1.8% and 2.4%.



Never mix a chlorine bleach with any other household or cleaning products. Doing so can result in different types of harmful acids being formed. Poisonous gasses can also be released that will cause very serious breathing problems and even death.



Not only will the bleach damage your clothing but it is irritating to your skin and can cause serious damage to your eyes, even blindness. As with any chemical, your exposure to it is important to know.





Laundry Detergents:

Most Laundry Detergents contain 2 to 3 OSHA graded hazardous ingredients (ex: soda ash or linear alkyl benzene) at different levels. For example Dreft and Tide both have the same 3 listed OSHA hazardous ingredients just proportioned differently.Monoethanolamine (MEA) , is also a chemical commonly found in detergent. MEA is a surfactant, which enhances the cleaning power of a detergent.



SODA ASH is a skin irritant and often a cause of reactive dermatitis (Skin itchy rash).

“Allergic dermatitis (itchy rash) is the most common skin condition in children younger than 11 years of age and the percentage of children diagnosed with it has increased over 300% from 3 percent in the 1960s to 10 percent in the 1990s. (Amer. Acad. of Allergy Asthma & Imm, 2007.)





Furniture Polish:

What is it?Furniture polish may come as liquid, paste or in an aerosol. Each will contain chemicals that help in the application of the wax or oil to the furniture.



What's in it?

Furniture cleaners that are made for wood may contain petroleum distillates and oil of cedar.



Many contain phenols.



The chemicals in furniture polish may irritate your skin, eyes, and respiratory tract (that is your throat, lungs and wind pipe). If ingested, furniture polish can cause nausea, vomiting, and medical help should be sought. Make sure there is good air circulation in the room in which you use these products, that is have a window fully open. Using a fan in the window blowing out provides even better ventilation.



Phenol is an extremely caustic chemical that burns skin. Absorption of phenol through the lungs or skin can cause: central nervous system damage, pneumonia, respiratory tract infection, heart rate irregularities, skin irritation, kidney and liver damage, numbness, vomiting, and may be fatal.



Phenol is a very common chemical and is regularly found in the following common products:

(It is often used to make a product sticky or thickened)



air fresheners aftershave bronchial mists chloroseptic throat spray

deodorants feminine powders & sprays hair spray

decongestants mouthwash aspirin solvents

acne medications antiseptics calamine lotion cleaning products

detergents furniture polish hair setting lotions lice shampoo

polishes cold capsules all-purpose cleaners aerosol disinfectants

anti-itching lotions carmex cosmetics disinfectant cleaners

hand lotions lip balms sunscreen and lotions insecticides

cough syrups