It all started when my wife was pregnant with our first child. I was using a wet Swiffer on our kitchen floor while cleaning the house. I glanced down at the top of the Swiffer and in large, white, capital letters was the statement, “HARMFUL TO HUMANS.” I paused. Harmful to humans? Then why am I placing this chemical on my kitchen floor, where in a few short months my baby is going to be crawling around? From that day forward, I would never use a Swiffer again. This event sent my wife and I on a research and investigative journey. I wanted to know what cleaning products were harmful for humans and for the environment. Our findings were more than surprising — we were astonished. Most conventional cleaners are nothing more than toxic chemicals. They clean well. Real well. According to switchtosaferproducts.com:

• 62 toxic chemicals are in the average home.
• Over 72,000 synthetic chemicals have been produced since World War II.
• Toxic chemicals in household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air.
• Over 3 million poisonings are reported every year, and household cleaners are the No. 1 cause of poisoning of children.
• Bleach is linked to the rising rates of breast cancer in women, reproductive problems in men and learning and behavioral problems in children.
• Since 1980, asthma has increased by 600%. The Canadian Lung Association and the Asthma Society of Canada has identified common household cleaners and cosmetics as triggers.
• Formaldehyde, phenol, benzene, toluene and xylene are found in common household cleaners and cosmetics. These chemicals are cancer causing and toxic to the immune system.

Here are the top three toxic products we found to avoid: Chlorine bleach. Chlorine bleach is one of the most toxic chemicals found in the average American household. It is a carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) that can cause respiratory issues, damage to the central nervous system and burns. There are possible links between chlorine bleach and breast cancer because the bleach can be absorbed into fat and remain in the human body. People with allergies and asthma may have an added sensitivity to chlorine bleach, according to the UK’s National Health System. Besides, once chlorine goes down the drain, it destroys the environment and wildlife, killing fish and contaminating soil. Glass cleaners. Glass cleaners are made of ammonia, phosphoric acid, ethanols and other toxic chemicals. Some of these ingredients are depressants to the nervous system, making a human feel dizzy, disoriented and lightheaded after breathing in. Other ingredients in common glass cleaners are carcinogens as well. Think dishwashing soap is harmless? This small addition to a hygienic house is packed with harmful chemicals. Most dishwashing soaps are made with “toxic petroleum-based surfactants, naphtha, chloro-o-phenylphenol, diethanolamine complex phosphates and sodium nitrates,” according to Living Green. These toxins are a mixture of chemicals that are poisonous to the liver, a neurotoxin (nephtha) that causes mental illness and more carcinogens. It doesn’t take much time to find out what’s in common household cleaners today. Information is readily available for the consumer. Always buy products that list their ingredients. Do a simple Google search of each ingredient — you may be surprised what you find. Also, use whatsinproducts.com as a valuable resource.