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Natural Cleaning Products

Gasping For Air? Put DownThat Spray Cleaner

(NewsTarget) Until recently, people who experienced respiratory problems from household use of spray cleaners had no facts to back up their cla household cleaners

ims of shortness of breath or wheezing. That has changed.

Previous data linking health risks to spray cleaners was based on occupational users such as custodians. Using cleaning products all day, every day has been linked to an array of illnesses. But now results of a new epidemiological study are in which are relevant to anyone who spritzes the bathroom mirror with window cleaner.

This European study tracked 3,500 people who had no history of asthma symptoms. After an average of nine years, the frequency of each person’s cleaning product use was determined and factored against his or her current health. The overall conclusions may leave you aghast. Or gasping.

Using a spray cleaner only once a week increased the risk of developing asthma by almost 50 percent.

Among those who used sprays more frequently, four times a week, the risk of asthma was nearly doubled. The strongest effect was seen from the use of glass cleaners, air fresheners and furniture cleaners. Although women were found to be vulnerable to developing this respiratory disorder the study noted that men had an even higher likelihood of developing asthma when using spray cleaners.

The study’s lead author, Jan-Paul Zock of the Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology at the Municipal Institute of Medical Research in Barcelona, Spain, estimates that exposure to the chemicals found in cleaning products may account for one in seven adult onset asthma cases.

There are alternatives. Check out the eco-friendly cleaning suggestions offered by World Watch Institute at www.worldwatch.org/node/1484

About the author: Laura Weldon is a writer with a book called Free Range Learning coming out in 2008. She lives on an organic farm and believes in bliss.

Going green is gaining incredible momentum

Going green is gaining incredible momentum. The term now even applies to household cleaning products. Some of them claim to be more environmentally friendly than others, but things are not always what they seem. That's what Consumer Reports 'Shop Smart magazine found when it put some green cleaners to the test.

What we are talking about are home cleaning products made from natural ingredients, designed to reduce our exposure to harsh chemicals. What you need to know

is that words like "natural" and "environmentally-friendly" that appear on the label don't necessarily mean as much as you think.

When it comes to cleaning products, the federal government does not regulate what is green and what's not. There are no government definitions for this. It's not like what we've seen happen with organic foods, where there are specific guidelines.

In its testing, Consumer Reports came across some cleaning products that are not as green as they labels might lead you to believe. Additionally, the magazine compared costs of green and traditional cleaners and found the green ones can cost up to 30 percent more.

Whether or not green products are worth the extra cash is subjective. It's up to you. It is a fact that many conventional cleaners contain toxic chemicals.Some people have very strong feelings about limiting their exposure to chemicals, and people with asthma and other breathing problems really have reason to worry about what they inhale.

Scientists recently found using cleaning sprays may contribute to adult asthma. The study in Europe found the more people cleaned; the more likely they were to have breathing problems. Air fresheners, furniture cleaners and glass-cleaners had the strongest effect.

So what should you look for at the store? Consumer Reports recommends first looking closely for a list of ingredients. You'll find most traditional cleaners won't list them at all. All green products should have a list of ingredients and they should be plant-based.

Secondly, many green products are highly concentrated and suggest mixing with water before use ... and on top of that, they will usually have multiple uses.

CEO of Seventh Generation explains the benefits of natural cleaning products to health and home