Part One of the lifestyle series with Lauren Brown. Do you know what’s under your sink?
Over the years, we accumulate all sorts of cleaning products. You probably have the staples that your mother and grandmother used, with a few infomercial miracle solutions thrown in, and maybe you also grabbed the newest thing on the shelf. Before you know it, you have quite the collection of products that you may or may not use- or know the harmful effects of! “Going green” isn’t just a cool T-shirt slogan anymore; it is about protecting your family. Some of the most important toxins to avoid are:
□ Endocrine Disruptors- these toxins imitate human hormones, which confuses your body and can lead to a disturbing number of health problems such as reproductive, developmental, and behavioral problems, premature puberty, miscarriage, challenged immune systems, certain cancers, and many more.
□ Neurotoxins- these affect your brain activity and can cause headaches, memory loss, and even loss of intellect.
□ Carcinogens- these cause cancer and can promote cancer’s growth.
If you are unsure about the presence of these toxins in your products and don’t know what to dispose of or keep, use these tips:
Take a look under the sink…
□ Take out all of your cleaning products and separate them into groups based on their purpose (sanitizing, glass/windows, grease, etc). Do this when no children or pets are around.
□ Do you need multiples of products that have the same purpose? Probably not. So which ones do you keep and which ones are harmful to you and your family’s health?
A guide to harmful cleaning products:
□ Household products are required to have a “signal word” indicating the level of toxicity.
□ NOTE: These levels are based on a 180-pound male, so imagine the effects on more vulnerable bodies such as children or pets!
| Signal Word | Toxicity level [for a 180-pound male] |
| Caution! | 1 ounce – 1 pint may be harmful or fatal |
| Warning! | 1 teaspoon – 1 ounce may be harmful or fatal |
| Danger! | 1 taste – 1 teaspoon is fatal |
□ Given these toxicity signal words, try to eliminate any product stronger than a Caution! From your home.
□ Use up the products that you have (with the exception of the very dangerous ones) and then replace them with healthier choices for the long-term.
-Lauren Brown
Tags: cleaning products under your sink, guide to harmful cleaning products, healthy home, toxins under your sink
