Eco-friendly living has become more and more popular over the last few years with organic products being more readily available. People are turning to organic foods and products in droves as more research shows the benefits of this kind of clean living. Even organic house cleaning and products to safely clean homes have become important to many for a variety of reasons including those outlined below. Chemicals Traditional household cleaning products are often packed full of chemicals including formaldehyde, ammonia, coal tar dyes, tricoslan, sodium hydroxide, phthalates, silica powder, quaternary ammonium compounds and phosphates. Many of these chemicals are known carcinogens with toxic effects. To compound the problem even further, these chemicals contain traces of even more dangerous substances such as lead, arsenic and cadmium. Cleaning product ingredients are not regulated by the government in the same way that food products are which means that these ingredients do not have to meet the rigid standards and testing procedures that consumers expect. Environmental Concerns Cleaning products end up down the drain or in the garbage after they have been used. That means that the chemicals end up in landfills and water supplies. This sort of pollution means that both land and water will contain the chemicals which will in turn, be used to grow food and be consumed by plants, animals and people. Once these chemicals have infiltrated their way into the eco-system, they are extremely difficult or even impossible to be completely removed. Over time, the chemicals build up which only adds to their toxicity and ill effects. Marine life has become so polluted by chemicals that in many areas, people cannot even eat the fish that are caught. Health Issues Traditional cleaners used in homes and businesses put the people coming in contact with these surfaces at risk. Organic cleaning products and techniques have none of these same concerns because they are made with only organic ingredients. When people touch surfaces cleaned with chemicals cleaners, the residue lingers on their skin and is absorbed. Even worse, many people repeatedly touch their eyes and mouth during the day leading to direct ingestion of whatever happens to be on their hands including household cleaners. Many cleaning products are also inhaled as the chemicals are sprayed in the air and linger after their use. Organic House Cleaning Organic house products can be used to clean surfaces without any of the risk involved. These products are safe for use even around small pets and children that have the most sensitive respiratory and digestive systems. Organic products are those that have been deemed to be chemical free and that contain all-natural ingredients. Many plants contain the cleaning power necessary to get homes clean and sanitary without containing any of the artificial chemicals that can cause damage to people and the environment. The public has just begun to open their eyes to the consequences of long term use of a variety of different chemicals including those found in cleaning products. With more awareness and education, organic house cleaning will become increasingly popular in the years to come. Above image source: Flickr/Will Scullin