Career and Kids

Cleaning the kitchen is hazardous to your health

by elizabeth on July 2nd, 2008

This might not apply to us working parents since we never have time to clean the house (I kid, I kid. Mostly.), but my friend The Bachelor Guy warns us of the hazards of cleaning the kitchen with the untoward effects of 17 common cleaning products:

Ammonia –
Causes irritation to eyes and nose, breathing difficulties, chest pains, pulmonary edema (lungs fill with fluid), cataracts and skin burns. High exposure can lead to lung damage, blindness, heart attack or death. Has been shown to produce skin cancer. Typically found in glass cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, and disinfectants.

2-butoxyethanol / Ethylene glycol butyl ether –
This chemical can be easily absorbed by the skin or inhaled, and can damage the liver, kidneys, reproductive organs and cause blood disorders. Commonly found in all-purpose cleaners, window cleaners.

Ethoxylated nonyl phenols (gender-benders) –
This chemical has been shown to induce female characteristics in male fish (if that doesn’t make you go “holy crap”, nothing will), and poses such a threat to the environment that it has been banned in the UK. It is still available for use in the US. Typically found in household detergents.

Read the rest, it’ll make you not clean the kitchen, or at least it will make you think about what you’re using.

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