CHOOSING SAFE CLEANING PRODUCTS

The air in our homes is filled with fumes from  petrochemical  solvents added to cleaners to dissolve dirt. The average household contains anywhere from 3-25 gallons of toxic materials, most of which are in cleaners. No law requires manufacturers of cleaning products to list ingredients on their labels or to test their products for safety. So we must shoulder the responsibility individually to make sure our home is not only clean but non-toxic too.

To detoxify your house, first  rid your home  of cleaners that are toxic or that you suspect may be toxic if the label says 'Warning', 'Danger', or 'Poison'. Do not dispose of them down the drain or in the garbage; your local Department of Public Works can tell you where to take these hazardous household wastes.

When you buy new cleaning products, look for manufacturers who do list their natural ingredients on the label and purchase cleaners containing non-petroleum-based surfactants, that are chlorine and phosphate free, that claim to be "non-toxic" and that are biodegradable. Seventh Generation products are designed to clean as effectively as their petrochemical counterparts, but won't pollute your home in the process. Awareness of this issue is growing, and product lines of environmentally sound cleaning products (such as Seventh Generation) are available in natural food stores and in many supermarkets.

A note of caution: some cleaners may advertise that they are "environmentally sound" but will fail to provide a full list of ingredients. Remember, the manufacturer that gives you the most information about its product is usually the manufacturer you can trust. From http://www.seventhgeneration.com/site/pp.asp?c=coIHKTMHF&b=83250

Sources of Earth-friendly Products

Earth Friendly Products http://www.ecos.com/
Green Living Now http://www.greenlivingnow.com/ an online shop, also offers kitchen and bathroom cleaning kits.
Green Seal http://www.greenseal.org/recommendations.htm
New American Dream -Conscious Consumer http://www.newdream.org/consumer/marketplace.php
The Real Earth Inc, 2640 Lincoln Bouleva http://www.treeco.com/
Real Goods http://www.realgoods.com/
Seventh Generation http://www.seventhgeneration.com

The Safe Shopper's Bible: A Consumer's Guide to Nontoxic Household Products by David Steinman (MacMillan Reference Book)