Clean and Healthy Housekeeping !, Does clean mean healthful ?

Clean does not always mean healthful ! although most of people concider cleanliness as equal with health.

Many household cleaning products contain hazardous chemicals like PDCB, chlorine and ammonia, gases or vapour emitted by cleaning products greatly contribute to Inddor Air Pollution (IAP), US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) found that Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) higher than Outdoor Air Pollution (OAP), the major sources of the pollutions are Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) which are very irritating and very toxic for human beings as well, the VOC will stay for longer time after the cleaning process is completed.
The health effects of the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) depends on the chemicals of the household cleaning agents used and the length of the human being been exposed to them.
Symptoms of intoxication of VOC include eyes irritation, visual disorder, loss of coordination, memory impairment, respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea, longer exposure to VOC can damage the nervous system, liver, kidney, also may cause cancer.

Examples of some Toxic air contaminants from VOC of household cleaning products:

1. 1,4 para-dichloro-benzene (PDCB): commonly found in air fresheners as room deodorants, mothballs, toilet bowl cleaners, urinals, PDCB uses as insecticidal fumigants like clothes moths, PDCB may harm lung function, potential symptoms of over-exposure are headaches, eyes irritation, profuse rhinitis, periorbital swellings, anorexia, nausea and vomitting, weight loss, jaundice and cirrhosis.

1. Formaldehyde: also called Methanal, Methylene-oxide, form by incomplete combustion of many organic compounds, formaldehyde is a repiratory irritant that is classified as known carcinogen.

1. Ammonia: very pungent odor, characteristic of drying urine, found in floor cleaners, bathroom cleaners, glass cleaners, and tile cleaners, potential symptoms of over-exposure are eyes, nose, and throat irritation, dyspnea, bronchospasm, chest pain, pulmonary edema, pink frothy sputum, skin burns, vesiculation. Lower limit of human perception 53 ppm.

1. Alkylphenol Ethoxylates: found in some detergents and household cleaners, Alkylphenol Ethoxylates are hormone disruptors shown to mimic estrogen hormone.



2. Chlorine : this desinfectant can contribute to the formation of ozone-damaging organo-chlorines.

1. Triclosan : used in soaps, sprays, and other cleaning agents to kill germs, Triclosan forms dioxin, a toxic chemical compound which will form chloroform when exposed to sunlight, chloroform is probable human carcinogen.

1. Phthalates : used to prolong the fragrance of household cleaning products, Phthalates are hormone disruptors and have been shown to cause liver, kidney, and reproductive disease in animals.
   

How to prevent from hazardous VOC ?

1. Household cleaning products that are labeled Danger or Poison should be avoided due to classified the most hazardous.



2. Household cleaning products that are labeled Warning or Caution should be used with caution.



3. Household products that are labeled may cause skin irritation, flammable, vapours harmful, may cause burns on contact should be used very carefully.



4. Avoid products that contain Chlorine and Ammonia as their main ingredients. they can cause repiratory and skin irritation and create vapour if mixed together.



5. Open the doors, and ventilate the room during and after cleaning to allow the toxic VOC of the household cleaning agents as quickly as possible removed from the room, to maintain a good healthy indoor air quality.