Whether you are getting your house spic and span for guests or doing janitorial work, use cleaning products safely to minimize chemical .
Cleaning supplies can contribute to chronic respiratory problems, according to the American Lung Association. This is especially true of products like ammonia and bleach which, when combined, produce a toxic chloramine gas.
Some seemingly benign products can react when used together. An air cleaning machine might help clear out your uncle's cigar smoke, but the ozone it produces reacts badly with air fragrances. Together, the ozone and fragrance can produce formaldehyde and dangerous fine particles, according to the lung association. Keep rooms well ventilated and use fragrances sparingly, if at all, especially around people with breathing problems.
One way consumers and companies can limit exposure to harmful cleaning chemicals and dangerous particles is to look for the Safer Choice logo on cleaning products.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has an extensive chemical safety program that has certified more than 2,000 cleaning products. To be awarded the Safer Choice label, products must meet stringent human health and environmental criteria. They also must meet high standards for cleaning performance.
The EPA warns consumers that products labeled green or natural might not necessarily be safer. Generally, these products substitute a plant-based chemical for petroleum and label the product natural. The result is a natural product that is chemically identical to those made from petroleum, according to the EPA. The potential health and environmental impacts are actually the same.
ther you are getting your house spic and span for guests or doing janitorial work, use cleaning products safely to minimize chemical exposure.
Cleaning supplies can contribute to chronic respiratory problems, according to the American Lung Association. This is especially true of products like ammonia and bleach which, when combined, produce a toxic chloramine gas.
Some seemingly benign products can react when used together. An air cleaning machine might help clear out your uncle's cigar smoke, but the ozone it produces reacts badly with air fragrances. Together, the ozone and fragrance can produce formaldehyde and dangerous fine particles, according to the lung association. Keep rooms well ventilated and use fragrances sparingly, if at all, especially around people with breathing problems.
One way consumers and companies can limit exposure to harmful cleaning chemicals and dangerous particles is to look for the Safer Choice logo on cleaning products.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has an extensive chemical safety program that has certified more than 2,000 cleaning products. To be awarded the Safer Choice label, products must meet stringent human health and environmental criteria. They also must meet high standards for cleaning performance.
The EPA warns consumers that products labeled green or natural might not necessarily be safer. Generally, these products substitute a plant-based chemical for petroleum and label the product natural. The result is a natural product that is chemically identical to those made from petroleum, according to the EPA. The potential health and environmental impacts are actually the same.