Most people use chemical-based cleaners in their homes without much thought of what they’re actually made of. Whilst, they’re regularly used to create a clean and hygienic environment – their use can actually be counter-productive as a result of the numerous toxins within them.
One of the key problems with chemical-based cleaners is the manner in which they’re disposed of. The vast majority of them are washed down the sink and once chemical-levels accumulate, especially in densely populated town and cities – they produce waste which eventually comes into contact with the water-table and the rest of environment.
The 2 main chemicals within household cleaners are ammonia and the lesser known – 2-Butoxyethanol, also known as EGBE, and can have a range of hazardous effects: For instance, excessive ammonia accelerates plant growth – leading to un-natural life-cycles and decay which can disrupt the natural properties of the biosphere. Ammonia can also encourage the growth of weeds which can have a catastrophic effect on agriculture and the eco-system in general. Too much ammonia can also result in soils becoming saturated with acids – which can be problematic to farming and outdoor forms of cultivation.
Aside from inflicting significant damage on plant-life, ammonia can also affect the health of animals – by disrupting the systems that carry fluids and nutrients around their bodies – leading to a range of physical deficiencies and potential diseases. This can seriously compromise the quality of live-stocks.
Intriguingly – one of the greatest environmentally damaging aspects of the cleaners is not the product itself, but the packaging it is supplied in. This consists of a type of plastic which has highly-corrosive properties which contain molecules that can affect the reproductive systems of animals leading to abnormalities in their offspring.
There is a growing awareness relating to the hazards of using household cleaners, and if you wish to seek a more eco-friendly alternative for keeping your house clean – lemon juice, vinegar and caustic soda based cleaners can be equally as effective.
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