While it is impossible to avoid all chemicals, reducing your exposure to some is easy.  Cleaning products are a good example. Commonly available products for cleaning, scrubbing, disinfecting and sparkling up your home generally contain very toxic ingredients such as Sodium Hypochlorite – the main component in bleach, Benzalkonium Chloride, Ethoxylated alcohol and many more.

Sodium Hypochlorite for example is a fungicide and pesticide and is considered to be:

• Corrosive and can cause burns to skin and eyes.
• The liquid is harmful if swallowed and in contact with the skin. The fumes are harmful if inhaled.
• If acid is added to sodium hypochlorite solution, chlorine gas (poisonous!) is released. Since bleach may be deliberately or inadvertently added to other cleaning agents in use - some of which are acidic - this is a common way in which people may be exposed to chlorine gas.
• The solution is unstable, gradually decomposing over time to release both dissolved and gaseous products. Consequently, pressure may build up in sealed containers, so solutions in storage should be allowed to vent the products of decomposition.
• Sodium hypochlorite is a fairly strong oxidizing agent, so reacts vigorously with many reducing agents. Products of the reaction with amines and ammonia may be both toxic and explosive.

(source: The Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory Oxford University)

Safe alternatives are inexpensive, safe to the environment, your family and can most likely already be found in your cupboards. They include baking soda (bicarbonate soda), lemon juice, rock salt, white distilled vinegar, borax, and tea tree oil. Microfibre cloths usually work well with just water. Visit our shop for a range of Fibreteq Cloths.

Most Laundry powders and products will contain ingredients such as:

• Bleach – Irritation of respiratory tract, resulting in coughing and breathing difficulty caused by chlorine fumes.
• Dyes - Metalized dyes present health and environmental concerns. Studies indicate that certain colorants and optical brighteners may cause cancer or other adverse health effects such as developmental and reproduction problems in humans.  Most common are aminotriazine- or stilbene-based whiteners (EPA 2007).
• Alkaline salts, silicates and zeolites;
• Petroleum distillates (aka napthas), which have been linked to cancer.
• Phenols, which can cause toxicity throughout the entire body.
• Artificial fragrances, which have been linked to various toxic effects on fish and mammals.
• Phosphates, which stimulate the growth of certain marine plants when they’re released into the environment and contribute to unbalanced ecosystems.
• Optical brighteners or flourescers,, which can be toxic to fish and can cause bacterial mutations and allergic reactions.

Replace with these environmentally friendly alternatives:

• Biometics laundry powder and laundry boost are now available through greenearth feng shui. Biometics products are approved by Building Biology Australia and are environmentally and human friendly as well as grey water safe. To buy Biometics products click here.