Cleaning Products with Chemicals Many of us are doing everything we can to “go green” around the house. Even if that’s not on your agenda, switching to an organic everyday cleaner can limit your exposure to what are actually some pretty harmful chemicals.

You Don’t Want Enzymes on your Skin

You might be familiar with the word “enzyme.” It’s commonly used when someone is talking about digestion, where enzymes are the chemical compounds that break your food down or dissolve it. Detergents are often included in everyday cleaners, and they’re super bad for your skin. This is because they’re designed to break down the materials that are causing stains in your carpets and upholstery. Many everyday cleaners are basically supercharged, science-bred versions of the enzymes that digest your food, which means they’ll break down organic materials like your skin. This is just one of the factors that motivate people to switch to green cleaners.

Chlorine is Absolutely not Good for you Either

When it gets dissolved into a pool, chlorine is mostly OK. Even so, many swimmers are familiar with the stinging eyes and dry skin that can come with too much time in a chlorinated pool. Now, imagine that, but directly on your skin. Many everyday cleaners use chlorine, which is why they come with a warning on the bottle telling you not to get it on your skin or in your eyes. Also worth mentioning is the fact that chlorine used to be used in chemical warfare. You definitely don’t want that stuff anywhere near your skin, which is why a lot of folks make the switch over to an organic everyday cleaner.

Bleach? No, Thank You

Bleach practically doesn’t even need an introduction. It gets a lot of use around the house, while also being known as one of the most toxic and caustic chemicals that just about anyone can buy. It’ll burn you if it gets on your skin, and don’t even think about getting this stuff in your eyes. So why do so many people use everyday cleaners that contain bleach? Eco-friendly cleaners can take care of around-the-house chores with ingredients like vinegar and water, allowing you to forego the negative effects that even so much as using a bleach-based cleaner can have on your skin.

Ammonium Hydroxide is Totally Uncool

Yet another one of the most offensive compounds found in everyday cleaners, ammonium hydroxide is really harsh on your respiratory system, and isn’t good for your skin either. Nevertheless, it’s found in many commercial everyday cleaners. This chemical wreaks havoc on your skin, causing dryness and blisters. Even if you don’t get it on you, working with it is generally acknowledged to result in an overall dryness of the skin. An organic everyday cleaner won’t have this ingredient, however, which is why many people are going green when it’s time to clean. For these reasons, and plenty of others, people have begun to seriously prefer eco-friendly cleaning products. Not only are they better for your environment, but they’re a whole lot better for you, as well. Image Source: Flickr/Norma