Somewhere on your toilet cleaner, you'll see a long list of harmful chemicals and words of caution stating ‘keep away from eyes and mouth’ or ‘harmful for animals and humans’. Do we really need such toxic acids to clean our toilets?
Have you ever looked at the ingredients and caution messages behind your bathroom cleaners? If you haven’t, go ahead and take a look. You’ll see a long list of harmful chemicals and words of caution stating ‘keep away from eyes and mouth’ or ‘harmful for animals and humans’.
What are these harmful chemicals, and why do we need such toxic acids to clean our toilets?
We took a closer at these products and here are 3 three reasons why the acids in your cleaners might be killing you.
1. Skin Burns And Toxic Fumes
The cleaners that are commonly found in the market are made of first-generation compounds like phenyl that are derived from carbolic acid and primarily work as a disinfectant in cleaners. Exposure to phenyl can cause pulmonary oedema, burns, and an itching sensation. They also contain chemicals like sodium hypochlorite, hydrochloric acid, or bleach, most of which irritate your eyes and skin and burn your throat. Chlorine bleach liquid can also be found in floor cleaners and can cause dermatitis on direct contact with the skin.
Ingestion of these chemicals causes oesophagal injury, stomach irritation and prolonged nausea and vomiting. These first-generation compounds also disrupt the Ph-level of water bodies and can put your children and pets at a health risk.
2. Germs Remain
In acidic cleaners, all the bacteria (the good and bad) is destroyed. Rather than tackling the root of the problem, they cover up the odour with fragrance and provide a temporary solution whereas, fourth-generation compounds, the most recent innovation in the field of cleaners and disinfectants, which are safe for the skin and won’t cause any health problems. This toilet cleaner is made from such compounds and is completely bacteria-based.
Moreover, the bacteria present in these cleaners secrete enzymes and degrade organic compounds like uric acid and ammonia that leads to the germs and odour in toilets. This bacteria is “isolated” from nature and in a dormant stage. These ‘good’ bacteria release enzymes that help in the cleaning of surfaces.
3. Kills Our Oceans
The acid in our cleaners go through the drains and end up destroying our precious water bodies leading up to the extinction of marine life. Studies have also shown that these acidic cleaners are also responsible for the recent burning of lakes in our country. On the contrary, these bacteria-based floor cleaners, made of non-pathogenic microorganisms are naturally derived from anionic and non-ionic surfactants and processed essential oils; they consist of non-pathogenic microorganisms, and fatty acid amines naturally derived from anionic surfactants and citrus acid. These cleaners are safe for both humans and animals.
The wastewater generated from cleaning can be used to water plants, giving them added nourishment due to the bacteria. This water can also be poured out into the bathroom drain to help with clogging. These cleaners are also environment-friendly causing absolutely no damage to our water bodies.
Are you looking for reliable, planet-friendly cleaners? Well, they are now just a click away. Your laundry, dish washing, floor and toilet cleaning is all set to get safe. Follow this link to know more.
Also Read: Flushing Our Future: Home Cleaners Can Be The Reason Why a Lake is Burning
(Edited by Shruti Singhal)
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