The Environmental Impact Of Cleaning Products: Is Cleaning Harmful?

Cleaning products are necessary to keep any home clean, but some of them may be more harmful than you think. 

Most cleaning products you find at the store are composed of chemicals, which is not a bad thing by itself. However, some of those chemicals are not healthy for the environment. 

What's the best way you can reduce the ecological impact of cleaning? Learn in this blog post how cleaning products damage the environment and what you can do! 

How cleaning products damage the environment

First of all: not all cleaning products damage the environment in the same way. While some cleaners are straightforward toxic or corrosive compounds, others have a more complex environmental impact.

Here are some examples!

The chemical compounds of the cleaner

Commercial cleaners are chemicals, which isn't always a negative thing by itself! However, some chemical compounds are harmful to the environment.

Here are some examples of how chemicals can harm the environment:

• Detergents: Dish soaps and laundry detergents may not be toxic for people. However, the surfactant compounds they are made of are associated with harmful effects on aquatic life.
• Antibacterial soaps and disinfectants: During the pandemic, disinfectants became a crucial way to tackle the virus. However, antibacterial compounds like triclosan are sometimes unnecessarily added to soaps and other products.
• Chlorine bleach: The strongest cleaner in most houses is bleach. Bleach fumes are harsh for people. In the same way, chlorine can harm the environment. Even though bleach contains a small amount of chlorine, it finds its way into the water supply or air!

Plastic litter

If you want the full scope of the environmental impact of cleaning products, it's time to talk about plastic. Like many other products you can find in stores, cleaning supplies produce large amounts of plastic litter.

Plastic is often found in plain sight in packages—like spraying bottles or plastic wraps! However, other times, it's harder to spot. For example, most wet wipes (including disinfecting wipes) contain plastic fibers.

Follow these tips to choose the best eco-friendly cleaning products

After reading about this topic, you might want to choose the best options available for your household and the environment. However, picking only safe and eco-friendly cleaners is easier said than done! 

Here are a few tips to make it easier!

1. Learn what's inside: You can find surprising information just by looking at a cleaning product's label. In no time, you'll get familiarized with the things you need to avoid—no need to become a chemist!
2. Look at the bottle: Not only does the label has valuable information, but also the container itself! For example, a manufacturer can claim that their product is eco-friendly while the container is made from plastic!
3. Trust in third parties: No matter how transparent a manufacturer is, a third party is always more trustworthy. Look for third-party programs and certifications, like the EPA's Safer Choice.

Are you looking for an environmentally friendly cleaning service?

eMaids of NYC knows how important it is to take care of your household health and the environment. When we clean a home, our clients can choose environmentally friendly cleaning products! 

Learn more about our services here!