Pregnant women often worry about using household cleaning products. It turns out; there may be reason for this fear. Although the cleaning industry and other experts insist that these products are safe, there is evidence to suggest otherwise.
There are a wide variety of chemicals used in various household cleaning products. Some of these are irritating to the lungs or skin. Others are carcinogens and a few can cause birth defects with heavy exposure. Nitrobenzene, which is found in furniture polish, has been linked to birth defects and cancer. Other ingredients such as formaldehyde and perchloroethylene are also suspected to be carcinogens.
If you do use household cleaning products, be sure to use them in a well ventilated area. A closed bathroom with no windows or fan should be left for your partner to clean. During each of my pregnancies, my husband took over cleaning the shower. He was concerned about the fumes from the tile cleaner.
Fill your house with plants to help eliminate chemical residue in the air. House plants are known to be very effective at removing chemicals from the air. For example, spider plants are good for absorbing formaldehyde from the air. The more plants you have, the cleaner the air will be inside your home. This will benefit you, your baby and your whole family.
One alternative to using chemicals for cleaning is organic or “green” cleaning products. You can find these in health food stores and on the internet. Organic cleaning products use ingredients such as vinegar, baking soda, citrus and essential oils, rather than chemicals. The price for these products is higher than most standard cleaning products.
You can also make your own cleaning products at home with a few simple ingredients. All you need for most cleaning jobs is vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and borax. Essential oils can be used in recipes to add a pleasant scent. Making your own cleaning products saves a lot of money as well as reducing your family’s exposure to chemicals in cleaning products.
You can find recipes for cleaning just about any surface in your home with these few ingredients. Natural cleaning techniques can be found online and in books. I love Organic Housekeeping: In Which the Non-Toxic Avenger Shows You How to Improve Your Health and That of Your Family, While You Save Time, Money, and, Perhaps, Your Sanity . In this book, Ellen Sandbeck offers techniques for natural cleaning as well as great advice on reducing toxins in the home, decluttering and organization.
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