The Dangers of NON Baby Safe Cleaning Products

Baby safe cleaning is important to all, not only the baby, but also to the rest of the family. Understanding the invisible dangers of NON baby safe cleaning products, you can be prepared for all of the dangers BEFORE your baby’s arrival (see our article Baby Safe Cleaning Products … Even Before Birth to learn more!)

If you are seeking baby safe cleaning products, there are some chemicals in household cleaners that you should keep a close eye on:

Triclorsan a common antibacterial chemical in soaps, is an endocrine disruptor (estrogen and thyroid hormone signaling) and has been banned by Marks & Spencer in UK and China Parabens used as preservatives have been found to be hormone disrupting.

Glycol ethers or EGBE, such as 2-butoxyethanol. These are solvents commonly found in glass cleaners and all-purpose spray cleaners that have been linked to reduced fertility (both in men and women), low birth weight, birth defects, autism, and more. Many glycol ethers have almost no smell and you can be overexposed to them without knowing it (the skin can absorb the vapors from the air). According to Women’s Voices for the Earth, these products contain EGBE:

• Lemon Fresh Pine-Sol
• Windex Aerosol
• Formula 409
• Simple Green
• All Purpose Cleaner

Alkyl phenol ethoxylates (APEs) are derived from petroleum. They are surfactants found in laundry detergents, stain removers and all-purpose cleaners and have been found to reduce embryo survival in fish and alter tadpole development. APEs are hormone disruptors as they mimic estrogen. One APE in particular, p-nonylphenol, caused estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cells to multiply in a test tube study. With regards to our planet, APEs do not break down easily in our environment, thus are commonly detected as contaminants in rivers and streams, and have also been found in household dust.
Phthalates, carriers for fragrance in glass cleaners, deodorizers, laundry detergent s and fabric softeners, have been linked to reproductive problems, including reduced sperm count in adult men. Unfortunately many companies regard fragrance as a corporate trade secret, which further hinders efforts to towards disclosure of the ingredients.

Shop for Baby Safe Cleaning Products

Looking for the best green home cleaning products? We are pleased to offer baby safe cleaning products for sale from a number of hand selected companies that we feel offer the best products for our Green Home Cleaning customers!

Mixing your own baby safe cleaning products may not be the answer either. It is important to select your ingredients carefully. While borax is a common ingredient in homemade cleaning products and is a natural mineral found in nature, it has been found to impair fertility or cause damage to unborn children.

So what is one to do to ensure they have the best baby safe cleaning products available? Avoid the prophecy of the well-known & respected Finnish author and artist, Henrik Tikkanen, “Because we don’t think about future generations, they will never forget us.” Rather start now to select baby safe cleaning products that have been reviewed by an independent third party such as the EnviroCare product line from Green Cleaning Products.