Toxic Cleaning Products to Avoid and Non-Toxic Replacements

What are Toxic Cleaning Products?

Toxic products contain one or more ingredients that can cause health or environmental harm. Many chemicals in cleaning products are considered toxic because they’ve been shown to cause ill health effects such as, developmental problems, respiratory disease, vomiting, nervous system disorders, endocrine disruption, obesity, skin conditions & burns.

Some can even be fatal if absorbed into the skin, inhaled or ingested. Labels on poisonous products such as “warning”, “danger” or caution” are definitely a red flag.

So now you're probably wondering, what can I clean with, that is non toxic and wont impact my health?

We've compiled a list of the products to avoid and non toxic replacements for a safer, healthier home.

1) Bleach

It’s the scent synonymous with sterility and even though bleach is very effective at killing germs, brightening your whites and wiping out surface mould (temporarily) it’s also highly poisonous.

It’s been exposed that when bleach fumes are inhaled, they rapidly irritate the mucous membranes of our throat, mouth & nose. Regular use can cause deterioration of your respiratory system, oesophagus and lungs.

Sadly, children and babies are the most sensitive to bleach toxicity due to their smaller size and lung capacity. Bleach is also one of the top poisoning toxins of children worldwide.

Bleach can become a deadly gas when mixed with; drain cleaners, vinegar, alcohol, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and other household cleaning products.

Bleach is especially dangerous to children, is horrible for the environment, contributes to the generation of superbugs, and is completely avoidable!

Replace With Cleanz Oxy Soak or Hydrogen Peroxide

• For disinfecting, use a combination of distilled white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide - stored in separate bottles and applied separately (spray one on, wipe it off, spray the other on, wipe it off). It’s important not to combine these two as they can create potentially harmful fumes.    (Ratio of Hydrogen Peroxide to water is 3 parts per 100 - so that's  15mls  in a  500ml bottle.)
• For whitening and brightening your laundry, getting stubborn stains out of clothes, bench tops, cleaning grout, toilet bowls, sinks, etc swap bleach for Cleanz Oxy Soak.
• Hydrogen peroxide can also be used on most stubborn surface stains, door knobs, highchairs, cutting boards etc in place of bleach. It can bleach out colours so use with caution.

2) Fragrance

Today's synthetic fragrances are some of the most toxic chemicals and top allergens on the planet.

These chemicals are so strong they infiltrate porous materials like, Gib board, furniture and window treatments which over time seriously impacts your home's air quality.

“Fragrance” listed on the label of any cleaning product, soap or laundry detergent is a synthetic fragrance recipe that may contain hundreds of very toxic proprietary chemicals.

These chemicals have been shown to act as carcinogens, trigger allergies, cause hormonal imbalances, weight gain and metabolic disorders, cause nervous system disorders, headaches and migraines.

Anything with synthetic “fragrance” (laundry products, cleaning products, personal care products, candles, air fresheners, soaps etc.) needs to go!

Replace With Fragrance Free Products

• We recommend that you use fragrance-free products in your home, however if you choose to use products with fragrance, wildcrafted, authentic plant derived or organic essential oils processed without solvents are the way to go.
• For a pleasant aroma throughout the house, fill a pot with water, lemon rinds and your favourite combination of herbs and spices. Bring to the boil then let simmer on the stove for an hour.

3) Laundry Products

Laundry products such as bleach, detergents, stain removers, fabric softeners & dryer sheets contain a cocktail of chemicals harmful to humans, animals and the environment. The chemicals found in fabric softeners & dryer sheets are considered to be among the most toxic in the laundry category.

Some of the most common and harmful ingredients (apart from fragrance which we’ve covered above) are: benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, chloroform, camphor, biodegradable cationic softeners, alpha terpineol, pentane, linalool ,limonene and dichlorobenzene.

They can cause respiratory issues, irritate skin and eyes, cause endocrine/reproductive issues, and damage the nervous system.

It pays to read the labels because even some products labelled “natural”, “green” and “eco friendly” still have these chemicals present.

Replace With Cleanz Laundry Liquid, Oxy Soak & All-Purpose Spray

• Cleanz Laundry Liquid can replace any laundry detergent and is safe to use in Top load & Front Load machines
• All Purpose spray & Oxy Soak work great as a spot and stain remover. Just sprinkle oxy onto stain and wet with Cleanz All Purpose.

• Oxy Soak can be used to whiten & brighten clothes & remove odours, add ¼ of a cup to an average load of whites to sanitise, whiten & brighten.

• Wool Dryer Balls can replace fabric softener or dryer sheets and can be re-used for years.

4) Ammonia

Ammonia is commonly found in manufactured cleaning products like window & floor cleaners.

Ammonia hydroxide, found in window cleaners for example, can cause severe skin burns and eye damage, irritation to mucous membranes, respiratory problems, and life-threatening pulmonary edema. 

Replace With Cleanz Glass Cleaner

• Cleanz Glass Cleaner or distilled white vinegar can be used to achieve a streak-free shine on windows, mirrors, door knobs, etc. 

5) Antibacterial Cleaners

Antibacterial cleaners were thought to be the most effective in cleaning and disinfecting. However, new evidence shows that these harsh cleaners are hazardous to the environment, contribute to the rise in superbugs, and damage our immune system making us more vulnerable to contagious disease.

They also impact our microbiomes which directly affect our digestive health, respiratory system, immunity, hormones…and just about everything else in our bodies.

Replace With Cleanz All-Purpose followed by Distilled White Vinegar And/Or Hydrogen Peroxide

• There will be times when sanitization/disinfection is necessary in order to prevent the spread of illness, harmful bacteria and other pathogens. We recommend that all surfaces in your home be cleaned with plain soap and water (such as Cleanz All-Purpose) to remove all germs followed by the use of a disinfectant only on frequently touched surfaces.
• When heavy duty cleaning is warranted (such as Disinfecting toys after illness, cleaning a cutting board after cutting raw meat, etc.), we recommend cleaning first with hot water and soap (Cleanz All Purpose), rinse and then spray the surface with hydrogen peroxide and/or distilled white vinegar (used separately and stored in separate bottles).