WVE would like to provide you with organized and updated information about WHAT YOU CAN DO to make cleaning your house SAFER and LESS TOXIC.

The information provided here is drawn from facts sheets put together by the Washington Toxics Coalition, the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Environmental Oncology, and the Women's Health and Environment Network. WVE thanks them for their wonderful work.

Avoid Hazardous Cleaning Products

Products labeled “DANGER: Corrosive”

Products that contain solvents: These products will be labeled: “DANGER. Harmful or fatal if swallowed.”

Don’t Mix Bleach and Ammonia

Products containing Phosphates

Avoid nonylphenol ethoxylate

Read Labels: Avoid products with labels containing a signal word, such as CAUTION, WARNING, or DANGER.

• Use Safer Alternatives

• Make Your Own Cleaners

  - Favorite Recipes

• Print and Keep a copy of Green Guide’s Smart Shopper’s Card on Cleaning Products on you go shopping!

• Use Fewer Products:
  

• Safe Disposal of Cleaning Products
• Other Resources

  Have More questions? Visit Fast Facts Q & A at Washington Toxic Coalition website.
  
  Learn more about the relationships between toxic chemicals and diseases, visit CHE Toxicant and Disease Database
  
  Learn more about Certified Green Cleaning Products, visit Center for a New American Dream’s Certified Green Cleaning Products guide
  
  Sources:
  

  • Washington Toxics Coalition Safer Cleaning Products
  • University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Environmental Oncology Nontoxic Alternatives to Traditional Household Cleaners
  • WHEN Do's and Don'ts of Green Cleaning

• Products labeled “DANGER: Corrosive”
  Three to Avoid:
  Drain cleaners
  Oven cleaners;
  Acid-based toilet bowl cleaners
  
  Solutions/What you can do:
  There is no reason to have corrosive products in the home. Safer alternatives exist for all of them.
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• Products that contain solvents: These products will be labeled: “DANGER. Harmful or fatal if swallowed.”
  Examples:

  Solutions/What you can do:
  
  Examples:
  
  some furniture polishes;
  dry cleaning fluids;
  spot removers;
  some metal polishes
  
  Some solvent-based products can be replaced with water-based products that do the same job.
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• Don’t Mix Bleach and Ammonia
  
  Chlorine bleach is also found in:
  - chlorine laundry bleach (most commonly found);
  - automatic dishwasher detergents;
  - mildew stain removers;
  - some bath cleaners;
  - some toilet cleaners
  Ammonia is found in:
  - glass cleaners;
  - metal cleaners;
  - dishwashing liquids
  
  Solutions/What you can do:
  
  Check product labels for warnings against mixing products together. There are many effective cleaners that do not contain bleach or ammonia.
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• Products containing Phosphates
  
  Examples:
  - Household laundry detergents;
  - Automatic dishwasher detergents (most major brands contain phosphates)
  
  Solutions/What you can do:
  Some phosphate-free alternatives are available.
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• Avoid nonylphenol ethoxylate
  Examples:
  Nonylphenol ethoxylates, and their relatives octylphenol ethoxylates, are widely used in
  - hair colors;
  - shampoos ;
  - hair styling aids.
  
  They are often identified as nonoxynol or octoxynol. Nonoxynol-9 is also commonly used as a spermicide.
  
  Solutions/What you can do:
  You will rarely see this ingredient listed on cleaners, even if it is present.
  
  But if you do see it listed, you might want to avoid the product.
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• Reading Labels:

  Typically, products labeled DANGER or POISON are the most hazardous. Those labeled CAUTION or WARNING pose a medium hazard. Products with no signal word are not considered hazardous by the federal government. This does not mean that they are entirely free of hazardous chemical ingredients, but the amounts are considered too low to be of concern. Most cleaning products are labeled CAUTION because they are skin or eye irritants, but you will find the DANGER label on drain cleaners, oven cleaners, toilet cleaners, rust removers, furniture polishes, metal cleaners, and some other solvent-based products.

  Near the signal word will be a phrase that describes the nature of the hazard, such as “causes burns on contact,” vapors harmful,” or “extremely flammable.” Learn to recognize these phrases and take them seriously. On the side or the back of the package you may find additional information on how to use the product. This information can help you avoid injury. If you are not comfortable with the hazard described on the label, buy another product instead.
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• Safer Alternatives: Buy less-toxic cleaners: Stores often sell a variety of less-toxic cleaners, many of which are reasonably priced. Be aware that the words "non-toxic" or "all natural" on the label may not really mean that the product is safer. Consult Green Seal for brands that are certified to be less toxic.
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• Make Your Own Cleaners: It is easy to make safe cleaners from ingredients most people already have around the house. And they cost a fraction of any store-bought cleaners. See Resources below for ideas.
  
  There are some good reasons to make your own cleaning products.
  
  Homemade cleaners can be less expensive than commercial ones, and you know exactly what is in the products. But there are some potential dangers to kitchen chemistry. If you choose to mix your own cleaning products, be careful.
  
  Follow these guidelines:
  
  

  1. Only mix ingredients as directed by a reputable source. Avoid recipes with hazardous ingredients such as bleach, ammonia, alcohols, turpentine, etc.
  2. Never mix products containing chlorine bleach and ammonia, or chlorine bleach and a strong acid.
  3. Try to avoid mixing up more product than you can use at one time. That way you avoid having to store products.
  4. If you do store homemade cleaners, always mark your containers, saying what the product is for and what it contains. This is important in case a child should accidentally drink some of your concoction and you need to tell the poison center what it contained.
  5. Keep all cleaning products out of reach of children.
  6. If a homemade cleaner is so ineffective that you need to use very large amounts to do a job, consider discontinuing its use. Extremely ineffective products waste resources and may actually be more polluting than commercial products. Many homemade cleaners are surprisingly effective, however.
     
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• Use Fewer Products: Basic cleaners cover a lot of bases. Unlike what the ads try to tell us, there is no need for a different type of cleaner for each room or item in the house.

• Safe Disposal of Cleaning Products

  Not all unwanted cleaning products need to be disposed of as hazardous waste. The best disposal for most cleaning products is to use them up gradually as directed or give them to someone who can. Still, there are times—such as when you move to another home—when you may have a large quantity of products to dispose of or may inherit products you don’t want to use. The following are recommended disposal methods:
  
  Drain openers, oven and toilet bowl cleaners, bleach:
  
  Use up according to label directions or offer to others who can use them. Dispose of small amounts by pouring down drain with lots of water.
  
  Furniture polish, spot removers, flammable metal polishes:
  
  Use up according to label directions or offer to others who can use them. Or take to household hazardous waste collection site.
  
  Other cleaning products:
  
  Most cleaners that would go down the drain anyway when used can be disposed of in small amounts by pouring down the drain with lots of water.
  
  For More Information
  
  If you have any question about how or where to dispose of a product, contact your local household hazardous waste agency.
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