Rejoicing at the achievements of the chemical industry, do not forget about the reverse side of the coin. No matter how good your clothes smell from the laundry detergent or you from your personal care items, the products may harm your health, since manufacturers do not always write on the label easily what chemicals are in the product. But they that can cause an allergic reaction that brings irritation to the skin or nasal congestion. Sounds like aiming for a eco-home needs some exploring. In this story, CLEARlife covers five things in your space you should take a closer look at. Five objects that may have more benefits if they were more eco-friendly to establish your ideal eco-home.
Nail polish remover
Almost every girl who watches her nails and manicure has this remedy. We believe this isn’t a secret that a chemical with such an intense odor can be dangerous. Even abandoning liquids containing flammable acetone, which is as strong in dissolving plastic as nail polish, you will probably come across other toxic substances: formaldehyde, isopropyl acetate, toluene and phthalates (plasticizing ingredients). They can cause problems like cancer, asthma, and even problems with the reproductive system. Alas, even acetone-free products can be very harmful to health. Moreover, for thin varnish coatings, you can use a product prepared by yourself: from apple cider vinegar, citrus essential oils and alcohol. This is a big one to replace to achieve a more eco-home.
Cookware with non-stick coating
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First appearing in the 1930s, Teflon (short for “polytetrafluoroethylene”) – a synthetic chemical substance consisting of carbon and fluorine atoms – has become indispensable in the kitchen. Teflon kitchen utensils are easy to clean. They provide instant heat to food and prevents it from “pestering” with a small amount of oil.
But at the end of the twentieth century, the safety of Teflon products began to raise doubts. First, when heated to 300 degrees, the Teflon coating breaks down, releasing toxic chemicals , which can lead to polymer fever (Teflon flu), which causes inhalation of toxic fumes.
Look for dishes made of other materials in stores. Today, the selection of beautiful and practical utensils made of cast iron, steel, ceramics is simply huge.
Household chemicals
We enjoy the sense of security that we experience after a general cleansing campaign against germs at home. We expose ourselves to the danger posed by cleaning products.
Corrosive chemicals with sodium hydroxide, which we use to clean cookers, hoods, greasy surfaces, can cause severe burns and injuries to the eyes, skin and mucous membranes. Disinfectants for bathrooms contain sulfates, chlorine bleach and ammonia, fumes of which are also harmful to the respiratory tract of healthy people and dangerous to people with heart and lung diseases. Fragrances of washing powders and concentrates can cause allergic reactions, however, the chemical composition of aromas is a trade secret of any of the manufacturers, which allows them not to indicate the full composition of the product on the label.
You should replace potentially dangerous products with solvent-free and phosphate-free products. Although these products will be more expensive, you can protect yourself from chemicals. And we recommend recalling the old-fashioned cleaning methods: soda, vinegar and citric acid perfectly clean greasy surfaces.
Antibacterial agents
In pursuit of “sterility”, having seen enough of an advertisement about an incredible soap that gives a “shield” against infectious microorganisms, in the summer season we buy everything that promises to protect us from germs and bugs. However, antiseptic gels, soap, toothpaste, liquids for oral hygiene, cosmetics and household chemicals, even antiviral textiles can adversely affect a person’s health and someone’s environment. So, the frequent toxic ingredient of the above triclosan, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent used since 1960, can contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant microbes . Moreover, the effectiveness of this substance or its harm is not fully understood. The abundance of antibacterial agents prevent new microorganisms entering the body. This complicates the effectiveness of children’s immune system. We advise you to wash your hands with soap because it is safer and has never let anyone down.
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Cling plastic film wrap
There is currently a high amount of polymer films for packaging pharmaceutical, light, and chemical industries. For example, you can buy a plastic wrap at home for the convenience of packaging products. Most plastic products are made from Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). It still risks ending up at some point in the landfills or the ocean. Plasticizers are harmful to the composition. The stretch film contains elements that are prone to decomposition in contact with food high in fat under microwave waves. These substances can mimic the body’s natural hormones and thereby cause problems. Recently, effect of phthalates on an increase in body mass index has been proven, that is, a relationship between phthalates and obesity has been found. In general, we recommend abandoning food wrap, as well as plastic bags. In-store produce are packed in paper bags with the use of reusable bags more encouraged than ever.
We have deterred our ideal eco-house of the harm it could potentially cause our health. We continue our research and in the near future we will surely prepare another review of what should be taken out of the house in the trash (or put into recycling), making your place a eco-home, friendly and safe for health.