What Is Green Cleaning? The Definitive Guide To Safer Home Sprucing

Conventional cleaning products can have a number of negative effects and contribute to cancer, asthma, and birth defects.

In addition to making the home a safer place for you, your pets, and your family, there are numerous environmental reasons why cleaning green is important.

From reducing ozone and ecosystem depletion and air and water pollution, there’s no shortage of reasons to make the switch to green cleaning supplies, for example:

• Safer for kids and pets: From chemical poisonings to a surge in asthma risks and cleaning chemicals discovered in newborn umbilical cords, the dirty truth is most cleaners are harmful. Pets and children are more vulnerable due to their small size and developing immune systems.
• Better indoor air quality: The average American home has 25 gallons of harmful toxins pass through annually. This is the main cause of indoor air pollution, which the EPA estimates to be 2–100x higher than outdoor air pollution levels.
• Lessened chemical exposure: 61% of occupational health worker issues are skin problems. Switching to environmentally friendly cleaning means gentler ingredients that are less prone to triggering skin reactions.
• Water conservation: Green cleaners minimize water pollution and protect local water sources, which is essential given that 44% of all wastewater returns to the environment untreated. 
• Sustainability: Eco green cleaners are made with renewable and natural ingredients. A sustainable manufacturing process and sustainable packaging also improve our health and environment in the long run. 
• Reduced allergen and irritants: The American Lung Association says harmful chemicals and VOCs contribute to chronic respiratory problems, allergic reactions and headaches.

Common Toxic Ingredients to Avoid 

It can feel like you need a doctorate in chemistry to read labels, which is why the EWG makes this handy guide for how to read ingredients. 

Here is a small sampling of the literal thousands of harmful toxins present in popular products: 

• Ammonia: Often in polishers and glass cleaners, but burns the nose, throat, eye, and respiratory tract. High concentrations result in lung damage, blindness, or death—not to mention global pollution.
• Artificial Fragrances: A legal loophole means ingredients of fragrances aren’t required, which can feature 200-plus undisclosed known endocrine disrupting chemicals. Scents don’t improve product performance and only give a fake impression of cleanliness.
• Artificial Dyes: Says EWG, “Twelve percent of products use the terms “dyes,” “colorants”, or “colors” instead of listing the specific chemical dyes… FD&C Yellow 5 and FD&C Red 40… may cause allergic reactions or be contaminated with impurities known to cause cancer.”
• Chlorine: Found in toilet cleaners, mildew removers, and laundry whiteners, high concentrations of chlorine cause nausea and an allergy-like reaction. Inhaled, it can cause asthma and it burns the skin and eyes. It’s especially harmful for people with respiratory or heart conditions, and fatal when combined with ingredients like ammonia. 
• Ethanolamine compounds: Found in floor and tile cleaners, laundry detergents, and hand soaps, these surfactants (often under the name of DEA and TEA) help remove dirt, stains, and grease. Toxic enough to be banned in the EU, they’re linked to hormone disruption, cancer, liver tumors, and organ toxicity from accumulation in the liver and kidneys. 
• Isothiazolinone preservatives: Synthetic antimicrobial widely used in household cleaners. Studies indicate they cause allergic reactions, contact dermatitis, and chemical burns. 
• Methylisothiazolinone: A common preservative and antimicrobial already banned in the EU, since it can cause respiratory irritation, skin sensitivities, skin burns and eye damage. 
• Perchloroethylene: Contained in carpet cleaners, spot removers, and dry-cleaning solutions. The EPA classifies it a neurotoxin and possible carcinogen, they propose a nationwide ban.
• Fluorocarbons (PFOA/PFAS): Stain removers, dishwasher detergent, and laundry detergent will contain these “forever chemicals” to “improve” their effectiveness. They’re linked to hormone disruption, cancer (kidney and testicular), liver and thyroid problems, reproductive harm, increased cholesterol, and abnormal fetal growth. 
• Phosphates: Found in countless household cleaners like detergent, dish soap, and more. Residues on dishes can cause nausea, diarrhea, skin irritations, and respiratory issues. In the environment, they cause eutrophication and harmful algae blooms that eventually choke out natural life.
• Phthalates: A key ingredient in just about anything scented and often not labeled, these endocrine disruptors that negatively impact human reproductive health. They also cause cancer in rats. 
• Quaternary Ammonium Compounds: A potent disinfectant found in non eco-friendly fabric softeners and most “antibacterial” cleaners. Studies show “quarts” lead to resistant superbugs, and they contribute to asthma and likely lower sperm count and fertility in women. Unless you’re performing brain surgery on your dining room table, there’s no need to sterilize your house with quarts. 
• Sodium Hydroxide: Found in drain and oven cleaners, this is a highly corrosive chemical (as in: they use it to turn tree pulp into viscose fabric). Ingesting it will lead to internal burns, nausea, and vomiting. Inhalation of high concentrations can lead to fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency. 
• Triclosan: An antibacterial compound found in commercial liquid soaps that causes allergies, skin irritation, and hormonal problems. It’s likely a human carcinogen and toxic to algae. Even the FDA recently banned it from antibacterial soaps.
• VOCs: These include phosphorus, nitrogen, and ammonia compounds that are emitted as gasses from products and destroy indoor air quality. Inhalation can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation, nausea, headaches and loss of coordination, and damage to the liver, kidneys, or central nervous system. Some VOCs are carcinogenic. They’re also known to kill marine life. 
• 2-Butoxyethanol: A solvent used in all-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners, lacquers, soaps, enamels, varnishes, and paint thinners. It’s associated with asthma, allergies, pulmonary edema and severe liver, kidney, and red blood cell damage. Chronic exposure can cause neurological and blood effects, like nausea, tremors, and anemia. The National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants regulates 2-butoxyethanol because it potentially causes reduced fertility, low birth weight, and toxic liver metabolites. 

Why Don’t I See These Listed on Cleaning Products? 

It’s a lot of scary-sounding research to absorb, but it beats absorbing those toxins, right?

Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to discern what products are toxic or not for two main reasons:

1. Ingredients disclosure: 

To effectively evaluate a product, the consumer has to know all the ingredients and their potential interactions. 

Not only does federal law NOT require manufacturers to fully disclose ingredients, but the average person isn’t aware of the potential interactions of different obscure ingredients.

2. Greenwashing: 

Vague and unregulated terms like “eco-friendly,” “non-toxic,” and “natural” emblazon products, but they usually mean little. 

This is why the FTC now issues guidance against brands making overly-general environmental or health benefit claims.