Many people associate the smells of cleaning products, disinfectants, and laundry soaps with a clean home. While the strong odor of furniture polish or laundry detergent may evoke pleasant associations or childhood memories, those familiar scents are mostly toxic. They contain a wide range of substances, including reproductive disruptors, phthalates, and allergens. Air fresheners alone emit over 100 chemicals, endangering the health of an estimated one-fifth of the U.S. population. Lysol aerosol sprays disperse corrosives and respiratory irritants into the air, where they can cause developmental issues, damage vision, and pollute waterways.
Most commercial drain cleaners contain sodium hydroxide, which eats through the very pipes it is supposed to clear while burning all organic matter along the way. Nonetheless, toxic cleaning chemicals are common in supermarket aisles and big box stores—and people continue to buy them. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a reputation for lax standards, and greenwashing or subpar “green” products have left consumers with few options.
Here is a gallery of ten toxic cleaning products and their natural alternatives. All of the natural items listed are easily accessible and use as little waste as possible, keeping in mind that many cleaning product containers are not reused or recycled. In addition, plastic waste that ends up in landfills does not biodegrade.
Continue reading to learn about 10 toxic cleaning products, natural alternatives, and how people can make their own cleaning products that are safe for their home, family, and backyard.
Toxic product: Bleach Carl Wilhelm Scheele, a Swedish-German chemist, discovered chlorine in 1774; a year later, chlorine-based bleaches were released throughout Europe for whitening fabrics. By the 1820s, bleach was being used as a disinfectant and deodorizer, which led to its widespread use for sanitizing and cleaning.
Despite its cleaning and disinfecting properties, bleach can quickly become toxic. Inhaling bleach odors can be harmful to the respiratory system, especially in people who have allergies or other respiratory conditions. Bleach that ends up in the soil or waterways significantly raises pH levels and can kill plant and animal life. The cleaning agent is also corrosive, with the potential to burn skin or eat away at stainless steel or fabric. When used in well-ventilated areas and in small doses, bleach rarely causes significant problems. However, frequent use of bleach (such as cleaning the bathroom with it every day), inhaling it, mixing it with ammonia or vinegar, or disposing of bleach by pouring it down a drain or on the lawn outside can cause significant physical and environmental harm.
3 percent hydrogen peroxide is a natural substitute.
Since its discovery in 1818, hydrogen peroxide has been widely used as a natural disinfectant and bleach all over the world. Its first commercial application was as a hat bleaching agent and to restore paintings. Household-strength (3 percent) hydrogen peroxide is an effective all-purpose cleaner when mixed with vinegar or used on its own. It can clean glass without leaving streaks. It can be mixed with hot water to clean floors (one gallon hot water, one cup peroxide), or used alone to clean toilet bowls, bathtubs, showers, and countertops.
Glass cleaner is a toxic product.
Most commercial glass and surface cleaners contain butyl cellosolve, a hazardous substance that is not safe for humans in any amount because it is a carcinogen. Windex, for example, contains fragrances that are harmful to marine life.
Vinegar is a natural substitute.
Vinegar is simply an acetic acid solution made from diluted alcohol (whether from beer, rice, or wine, among other products). The acetic acid in vinegar is what gives it its taste and smell, as well as what makes it a great all-natural cleaning product and germ-killer. It can be used on its own or with essential oils. Save five, vinegar works equally well on almost any cleaning task. Never use vinegar on stone, ceramics, pearls, computers, or phones, and never combine vinegar and bleach (the combination creates a toxic, chlorine gas).
Cleaning wipes are a toxic product.
Most popular disinfectant cleaning wipes contain quaternary ammonium compounds (“quats”), which can irritate respiratory tracts, harm the skin, and have been linked to asthma, reproductive issues, birth defects, and antimicrobial resistance. Cleaning wipes are also frequently non-biodegradable, cost more, and are less effective than alternatives.
Cloth diaper inserts are a natural alternative.
Microfiber cloths work just as well as wipes for buffing out smudges, cleaning, and disinfecting, and they don’t smudge glass. But, in the end, microfiber cloths are made of (hopefully recycled) plastic, which means they’re not biodegradable even if they save water during use.
Cloth diaper inserts are environmentally friendly, highly absorbent, and can be used for years. They can also be thrown in with any regular load of laundry, saving money and water over time. To use, spray the area with vinegar or 3% hydrogen peroxide and wipe it clean. If you prefer to make your own cleaning wipes and cleaning solution, all you need is some isopropyl rubbing alcohol, essential oil, vinegar, and old towels.
Surface cleaners are a toxic product.
The fragrance chemical galaxolide, which is found in many surface cleaners such as Pledge, Windex, and Scrubbing Bubbles, has been identified as a water contaminant as well as an endocrine disruptor. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials discovered that prolonged galaxolide exposure caused cellular, tissue, and genetic damage in zebra mussels.
Many cleaning agents contain skin-penetrating toxins such as sudsing agents diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA).
Natural substitute: All-purpose cleaner made at home
All you need is distilled water, vinegar, and sprigs of fresh herbs or drops of citrus-scented essential oils to make your own nearly free DIY all-purpose cleaner. Keep the solution in a vessel made from a used cleaning bottle (or buy a glass jar with a sprayer that you can use over and over). Just keep in mind that you should never spray vinegar on marble or granite.
Toilet bowl cleaner is a toxic product.
Toilet bowl cleaners are among the most dangerous household cleaning products. Many branded products are highly corrosive and contain eye and lung irritants (phosphoric acid, sulfates). Because these products are disposed of directly down the drain, they are highly contaminating to groundwater and soil, as well as highly toxic to plants and animals. Nutrients from these cleaners can also wash into bodies of water, contributing to toxic algal blooms.
Baking soda is a natural substitute.
Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl, add vinegar, close the lid, and walk away for 30 minutes to clean a toilet bowl naturally with almost no elbow grease and at almost no financial cost. After half an hour, scrub away stains with a toilet brush.
Air freshener is a toxic product.
Air fresheners are by far the most toxic household cleaners. One reason for this is that ingredients such as “fragrance” can refer to almost anything, as companies are not required to list every fragrance ingredient on their labels. Fragrances can cause allergies and disrupt hormones, not to mention have a negative impact on waterways, skin, and organic matter. Even the EPA admits that most air fresheners contain a toxic cocktail of formaldehyde, aerosol pollutants, petrochemicals, and other chemicals.
Essential oil diffusers are a natural alternative.
If houseplants aren’t working, an essential oil diffuser will function similarly to an air freshener plug-in but without the harmful chemicals. It’s critical to use 100 percent essential oils or oil blends to avoid clogging the diffuser.
Alternatively, leaving out baking soda or dry coffee grounds absorbs odors rather than masking them as most air fresheners do. Combine half a cup of distilled water with 30 drops of your favorite essential oils to make an air-freshening spray.
Drain cleaner is a toxic product.
Many drain cleaners are designed to contain sodium hydroxide, a highly corrosive chemical that can burn and permanently injure human flesh and other organic compounds while clearing stubborn clogs. If left in a drain for an extended period of time, these cleaners can damage the drain itself as well as anything downstream.
Drain snake is a natural alternative.
Unclogging drains with a reusable drain snake is a simple process. For deeper-seated clogs, combine half a cup of baking soda with half a cup of vinegar.
Toxic product: The EWG gives the kitchen and bath cleaner Soft Scrub with Bleach Cleanser a solid F for its corrosive properties, toxicity to water bodies, and irritants to the skin and respiratory systems. Meanwhile, Comet contains approximately 150 unidentified ingredients; known chemicals in many powdered cleaners include formaldehyde, benzene, and chloroform.
DIY cream cleaner for the kitchen and bath is a natural alternative.
Baking soda, liquid castile soap, vegetable glycerin, and a few drops of their favorite essential oil can be used to make their own cream cleaner (the last ingredient is optional of course). To make a dry version, combine baking soda, salt, and a few drops of essential oil for fragrance.
Laundry detergent is a toxic product.
Synthetic scents in laundry detergent are frequently derived from petroleum, and they are widely regarded as the most toxic chemicals in any cleaning product. A University of Washington study in 2008 discovered dozens of toxins in leading laundry soap brands, and many of those ingredients are still present in laundry soap today.
Laundry soap, like drain cleaner, is dumped directly into waterways, whether septics, sewers, streams, lakes, or oceans, making it one of the primary contributors to harmful algal blooms caused by nutrient overload.
Natural substitute: Simple homemade powdered detergent
One grated bar of soap (Fels-Naptha or Dr. Bronner’s for a vegan version), two cups of Borax, and two cups of washing soda are all you need to make homemade powdered laundry detergent. Combine the ingredients (along with half a cup of OxiClean for brightening and stain removal, if desired). For each load of laundry, use one or two tablespoons. A box of washing soda, two bars of grated soap, and a box of Borax will cost less than $25 and will last most families for a year or more.
Furniture polish is a toxic product.
Lemon-scented The EWG assigns a F rating to Old English Furniture Polish due to the harm it causes to the respiratory system, skin, and environment. It has also been linked to an increased risk of cancer. Ingredients such as petroleum gases, mineral spirits, unidentified fragrance sources, silicone fluid, and kerosene are known to be hazardous to soil, waterways, and all organic matter.
Olive oil and vinegar furniture polish is a natural alternative.
parts in equal proportions All you need is vinegar and olive oil (and, optionally, a few drops of essential oil) to make your own all-natural furniture polish. Combine the ingredients in a jar, close the lid, and shake well before applying with a clean, dry cloth to furniture.