Can Common Cleaning Products Increase Your Risk of Lung Disease?

Not too many people enjoy living in grime and filth, so it is understandable that people want good cleaning products. The so called "Green" products many times just don't clean as well as their conventional counterparts. The problem is that many of these mainstream cleaning products have a high level of toxicity to people, as well as to pets.

Many advertisements promise that their products will not only clean to a spotless shine, but also to kill pathogens close to 100%. What they don't tell you is that they may be using chemicals linked to dangerous health conditions. These products are not classified as foods and they are also not drugs, so they are totally unregulated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

Recent research finds a link between health care workers using chemical cleaners once weekly and an increased risk of progressive chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). The two main COPDs are emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Good old fashioned bleach has been around since 1913 and may seem harmless enough. Bleach is one of the ingredients with links to lung disease, nervous system disorders, burns and chemically induced pneumonia. Mixing bleach with other cleaners, such as ammonia can be dangerous and even potentially deadly. Mixing bleach and ammonia produces chloramine vapor, which can then form hydrazine and cause respiratory problems, edema, headache, nausea and seizures.

You can buy many natural alternatives and even make your own safe and fairly effective cleaning products for a fraction of the cost. Ingredients such as borax, salt, baking soda and vinegar can be used to whiten your clothes, scour off soap scum and clean to your kitchen. All of this can be done without fear of side effects from toxic chemicals.

This all depends on your priorities and how much you value the easy way and convenience as compared with your family's health and well being.

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