You have probably heard the phrase "Smoking is bad for your health, quit"... But have you ever heard of not cleaning because it can be bad for your health? A recent study shows that inhaling harsh chemicals while cleaning your home can have the same effect on your lungs as smoking 20 cigarettes a day.
Of course, we would not advise you to stop cleaning. But it is even more important to be selective about how and with what you do it. World Health Day is a wonderful opportunity to look around the health hazards of the traditional cleaning routine - and of course to show you better alternatives for effective cleaning!
Today is all about health
World Health Day is celebrated to encourage people to learn to live a little more consciously and to pay more attention to preventing disease by living in clean surroundings. It is contradictory to think that sometimes cleaning can be bad for your health. But there are also aspects of this that are not talked about much, yet they are a major risk in your everyday life. Many people, for example, do not even think about the harmful substances they expose their bodies to when they clean - which is a regular activity.
Have you ever had a headache, got a bit dizzy or started coughing while cleaning your home? It is the side effect of the toxic chemicals you are exposed to!
"A recent study involving people who clean regularly at home highlighted the health risks. The results showed that the lung capacity of these individuals was significantly affected by cleaning," mentioned by Dr Julianne Barry of London Doctor Clinics.
What's the price of a clean home? Do not pay for it with your health!
Many of the products you use regularly can cause irritation of the mucous membranes and deterioration of lung capacity. Likewise, contact with the skin can be risky, as some of their ingredients are skin irritants and can easily cause dermatitis in people with sensitive skin.
How to look after your health when cleaning?
The key lies in being aware: both while shopping and cleaning. Consider our simple tips and do a lot for your health and a clean home!
Always check ingredients!
It is suspicious enough if a product bought for general cleaning says, "not for human consumption" or "do not contact skin", not to mention the many pictograms warning you to be careful. Of course, we know that when it comes to home disinfection, you are looking for the strongest products, but that should not mean toxic.
Ammonia, chlorine, VOSs, parabens, SLS - just a few ingredients you are better off avoiding. We have previously written in detail about toxic compounds in cleaning products, if you missed our article, catch up by clicking on the link.
In the future, follow the principle of chemical-free living: only use products that can safely contact with your skin! For example, it is a good sign if you see organic or baby-friendly labels on your product, as these require manufacturers to meet higher standards.
Source 1: Living consciously
If you still use conventional cleaning products, take precautions!
It is still recommended that you let fresh air into your home several times a day, but even more so when cleaning, make sure that the room is well ventilated. On the other hand, it is also important to breathe in as little cleaning products containing chemicals as possible.
After all this, it is obvious that you should wear gloves. If you have a sensitive skin anyway, there is no doubt that you need to take extra care to protect it. But many conventional cleaning products also contain allergens, and they can cause problems even if you do not have a sensitive skin.
The best advice is to switch to environmentally friendly natural products.
These contain only natural ingredients, so they are safe for your health too. Unfortunately, many people have the misconception that natural cleaners are not as effective as chemicals. Of course, this is not true at all! For example, research shows that vinegar can kill fungus in just one minute and bacteria after 5 minutes. So, you can use it to make your home as clean as the strong cleaning products can do, but without the toxic, harmful effects of those products. Its many uses are not new, of course, and it is obvious why your grandmother and great-grandmother used to use vinegar for cleaning.
CYCLE's innovative, chemical-free cleaning products contain all these ingredients to help you keep your home sparkling clean. And you do not even have to worry about your health, as these products are safe for your skin and lungs.
