5 Harmful Chemicals in Your Floor Cleaner You Should be Concerned About

Our homecare cleaners, especially floor cleaners, are laden with toxic chemicals. We aren’t making it up; all you have to do is look at the ingredients on the label of your product and you’ll know.

To simplify things, we list all the potential chemicals that these cleaners may contain. If you find one or more of those on the label, know that they’re toxic beyond imagination. Most of these chemicals have far-reaching effects on our health (babies and pets are more prone to their side-effects) and the planet in general.

So, here you go; some of the chemicals to look out for in regular floor cleaners are:

1. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

Both SLS and SLES are detergents that pose serious threat to our health. On direct contact, they can damage eyes, especially in children. They also have the potential to damage the skin by causing burns or lead to dry, itchy, flaky skin. Which is why you’ll find symbols on them asking you to wash your hands thoroughly if you’ve used the cleaner with bare hands.

2. Phthalates

It’s basically a scientific term for ‘fragrance’ used uninhibitedly in cleaning products. Phthalates are suspected endocrine disrupters associated with asthma, reproductive (including reducing sperm count in men), and developmental disorders.

3. MEA (monoethanalomine), DEA (diethanolamine), TEA (triethanolamine)

These are all hormone-disrupting chemicals that have cancer-causing nitrates. They’re also skin, eye and respiratory irritants.

4. Sulphates and Phosphates

While the former is known to cause discomfort in the lungs, the latter is wildly responsible for polluting our water bodies and starving marine life of oxygen.

5. Triclosan

A disinfectant and antibacterial that causes severe allergies and endocrine imbalance.

Now that you know what these chemicals are and how hazardous they can be, choose from natural, organic and sustainable options. Look no further than Karnival’s The Better Home Floor Cleaner.

Once you’ve used it to mop your floors, you can water your plants with it. That’s how safe it is!

Made from all-natural, non-toxic, biodegradable and eco-friendly ingredients, these floor cleaners also have non-pathogenic microorganisms, naturally derived anionic and non-ionic surfactants, and processed essential oils.

That’s it! It doesn’t get more transparent than that!

If you’re wondering how effective it is in actually cleaning–take our word–it cleans like a dream! From dirty shoe marks to food crumbs and dust to pet fur.

Its naturally derived surfactants stir up activity on the surface to help trap dirt and grime and effectively eliminate them. Additionally, the good microbes in them eat away the organic matter to remove odour, and not just cover it.

And finally, the wastewater generated degrades into simple and benign components, posing no threat to our water bodies.

What’s more, you need just a wee bit (10 ml or 2 capfuls to be exact) of the liquid in 1 litre of water. Which means a 500 ml bottle will last you a good 1.5 months.

Furthermore, the bottle it comes in is reusable. Which means you get refill pouches (which can be sent back for recycling) that you can keep emptying into the bottle till the end of time.

Also Read: Think Harsh Acids Are Best For Toilet Stains? Here’s Why Bacteria is Better!

Now that you know, and have an alternative just a click away, what would you choose? We say, choose what’s good for you. And the planet will benefit automatically.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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