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Why it's Important to Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

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Cleanliness is a very important part of our everyday life. The right for being clean and being in a clean environment is an essential right for everyone. Many people think that our ancestors were not as clean as we are today, but that is not the case. Ancient civilizations were very cautious about their cleanliness and took great care of it. That need did not die out even during the middle ages which many view as a dirty period of history.

Unfortunately, many people still do not have everything they need for the right sanitation. This lack of basic sanitation is a big problem for everyone during this pandemic. This is not the only problem though, as many needed sanitation products are a big hazard for health and the environment. Here is why it is important to use eco-friendly cleaning products in these dire times for the world around us.

Detergents

Products that are not eco-friendly are usually very dangerous for not only the world but also our own health. Many people see the washing machine for our clothes as a sort of a black box. You put the clothes in and they come out clean as a whistle. It is very important to understand the chemistry and the wastewater this procedure produces. Many people don't think understanding the basics of chemistry has much value, practically speaking. But when it comes to knowing the ingredients of products we use, chemistry knowledge is what will help us cull out the bad ingredients from the good ones. The reality is that everything around us involves chemistry, and unfortunately too often, chemicals. 

Cheap cleaning products frequently use very harsh chemicals to do the trick of cleaning. These chemicals can adsorb into the clothes and later onto the skin. That is why it is especially important to look into the ingredients when inspecting a detergent for baby clothes to see that there is nothing that can be toxic to the baby. Although intense washing with water does help to desorb the chemicals, it is best to use detergents that are not so aggressive. 

Aggressive chemicals

Aggressive chemicals are usually much harder to degrade which is why they are so toxic. One of these chemicals is sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS for short), the best detergent there is. This detergent is sure to clean any type of dirt that you need. That is why this compound found a large use in many laboratories as an efficient detergent for cleaning the nastiest biohazardous waste.

The downside of this super-effective detergent is that it is quite cancerous. It is handled in the lab only with gloves and must be washed off thoroughly to remove any traces of it. It is sometimes even found in shampoos so be careful about that. Every eco-friendly product is guaranteed to not include such dangerous and cheap chemicals.

Skin issues

Finding a cancerous chemical in your cleaning products is rare these days. It is not impossible to find one so you must still be cautious and read the ingredients carefully. There are still some compounds that can cause other more common issues, like skin issues. The most notable of them are rashes due to allergic reactions because the body does not like them. Cheap and non-eco-friendly detergents usually have a lot of things in them and the list of ingredients is long.

On the other hand, eco-friendly ones usually have just a few ingredients. And thus it is much less likely that your body will react in a negative way to such traces of detergents. If you have ever experienced a rash after putting on some freshly washed clothes, you should consider switching your detergent. This occurrence is more common than you think and many people think it is normal, but it really is not. You should feel comfortable when you dress in fresh clothing and not get any side effects.

Phosphates

Phosphates refer to any organic or nonorganic salts that contain phosphate as a counterion to the compound. Phosphate in itself is not dangerous, as every living creature is dependent on phosphate. For example, many have learned in high school that ATP is the main source of metabolic energy for us. ATP is short for adenosine triphosphate, the phosphate that is in many other compounds essential for every living being.

Many detergents are in the form of phosphate salts so they can be more soluble. That phosphate is what many microorganisms thrive on and can live off. Water, which is high in such phosphates, is much more susceptible to algae contamination. Such algae grow and deprive oceans from oxygen which leaves the rest of the ecosystem vulnerable to other problems.

Other inorganic matter

Ammonia and bleach are by far some of the worst things that can be found in cleaning products. These chemicals are sure to wash off pretty much anything, but again, come at a very big price. Ammonia in larger doses can cause mental problems if you are exposed to it for a significant amount of time. There are only a few bacterial species that can degrade ammonia into something useful. Chlorine in bleach is toxic for everyone, and it can only be degraded industrially by specialized facilities.

The packaging

Eco-friendly cleaning products are eco-friendly in several ways. One of them is that they come in packaging that is also safe for the environment. The pollution created by packaging for everything is through the roof and should be reduced. Everyone who uses cleaning products also leaves a big trace of packaging that the product comes in. That packaging is also made in a very non-eco-friendly manner which just adds to the negative side effects.

If you are not so much into protecting the environment, you should still think about this in another direction. Think about you and the people around you that use not-so-safe cleaning products. The health hazards of such products are very big, and you can avoid that and do some other good for the world.

Of course, you can not change the whole world by just switching a detergent. But the more people who make this important switch, the bigger the difference will be that will make a lasting impact for good. It is very important to think about the small things around us if we want to make global changes.

Laundry, Environment, Green Living, Chemicals, Detergent, Bleach, Cleaning, Biodegradable, Packaging, Skin Issues, Phosphates,

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