Environmentally Responsible Cleaning

Green cleaning supplies are better for both the environment and the people living in it.

According to the The National Poison Data System, American poison control centers took 212,616 calls in 2009 from people concerned about poisoning from exposure to household cleaning supplies. Hazardous cleaning supplies can also damage septic systems and contaminate ground water. A switch to greener cleaning supplies and methods can help protect you as well as the environment.

The Environment

According to the Purdue Ground Water Primer, most wastewater treatment plants are not equipped to deal with hazardous products such as oven cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, bleach, rust remover, and solvents. These typically end up in the ground and can seep into the groundwater. Natural cleaners such as vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and baking soda are much less harmful.

Hazards to People

Cleaning agents like bleach, drain opener, solvents, and mold and mildew removers can be fatal if ingested. Other cleaning supplies contain ingredients that irritate skin on contact or respiratory passages when inhaled. The Allergy Buyers Club cautions against cleaning products with labels that contain words like "corrosive," "toxic," or "poison." They also point out that carrier chemicals in cleaning products can also be hazardous. The law does not require disclosure of these carriers, however.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

According to the Allergy Buyers Club, many household cleaning products contain petroleum-based ingredients, which are nonrenewable resources. Cleaning tools are also typically made of nonrenewable materials. Many are designed to be used a few times, or even once, and then are dumped into the landfill. Rags made from old clothes can be washed and reused, minimizing the need for nonrenewable sponges. Vinegar is made from malt or apples -- renewable resources -- and can replace petroleum-based cleaners.

Green Products

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has introduced a Design for the Environment label to help consumers choose more environmentally friendly cleaning products. The Design for the Environment testing and review process identifies products that work when used for their intended purpose while not harming either the environment or the person using them. Certified products may bear the Design for the Environment label, and a list of approved products is available on the Design for the Environment safer product labeling Web site. Green Seal is a label issued by a non-profit U.S. company for the same purpose.

DIY Cleaning Ideas

There are many guides to DIY green cleaning on the Internet and in print. A little sleuthing can show you how vinegar and baking soda can clean a drain just as well as toxic cleaners can. Olive oil can be used as a furniture polish. A pumice stone cleans toilet bowl stains better than the best solvent. Vinegar inhibits mold. Baking soda can replace more toxic cleansers. In short, many products that are safe enough to be used as food are also effective cleaners.

References

• Environmental Protection Agency: What is the Safer Product Labeling Program?
• Green Seal: Find Green Products and Services
• American Association of Poison Control Centers; 2009 Poison Center Statistics
• Purdue Ground Water Primer; Protecting Ground Water in the Home
• Allergy Buyers Club; Household Hazardous Products

Resources

• Keene College; Green Cleaning Do-it-Yourself Safe Cleaning Solutions