Toxins

When there are babies in a household, it is all the more reason to ensure that the home is free of toxic chemicals. Many toxins are disguised in the products you've been using for years. Cleaners, detergents, and other household items may contain toxins that can cause serious harm to your baby. Ingestion, skin contact, and even the vapors released in the air could be an irritant, or worse, for your baby. So, take a moment to clean out that closet of toxic chemicals and stock up on green cleaners. When you use green cleaners instead of chemical-based products, it's not only safer for your family, but you also reduce your footprint - lessening your contribution to environmental pollution and improving the air quality in your home.

Here is a list of some common toxic household chemicals (in other words, things you DON'T want in your cleaning products):

• Ammonia: This is commonly found in glass cleaners, other household cleaners, and even some hair products. This is not only an irritant; but if mixed with certain chemicals like chlorine (bleach) can be extremely poisonous.
• Chlorine: This chemical is the main ingredient of most bleach. It is highly corrosive and poisonous.
• Formaldehyde, naphthalene, xylene, paradichlorobenzene, butane, phenols, and cresol: All these chemicals are common ingredients in household deodorizers. These chemicals are known or suspected carcinogens (cancer-causing) and almost all of them are neurotoxins. Inhaling these products over time is harmful to adults and even more so for babies.
• Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) and imidazolidinyl: These are often found in fabric softeners. They release formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen and sensitizer.
• Coal tar dyes: These are found in just about every cleaning product. They contain harmful heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, and lead.
  With so many non-toxic cleaners, detergents, deodorizers, and other household chemicals available; it's easy to maintain a non-toxic home for the whole family.

Non-Toxic Tips

• Look for natural, green or non-toxic cleaners that don't contain the following toxins: chlorine, alchohols, triclosan, triclocarbon, lye, glycol ethers, and ammonia.
• Choose household products that are petroleum-free, phosphate-free, VOC-free, and solvent-free.
• Watch for "green-washed" products - those that are marketed as natural or green, while still including questionable chemicals. Don't get fooled by label colors or vague descriptions.
• Read the labels. Know what's in the products you are using. Visit Eco-Labels.org for independent reviews and to find out what claims on labels really mean. Visit company websites or contact them directly for more information.
• Use the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services's Household Products Database to look up specific products and find out their ingredients.
• Ever wonder why eczema is on the rise? Take a look at the ingredients in so-called "mainstream" detergents. Many of those ingredients leave behind residue that may irritate your baby's skin. Consider non-toxic detergents like Eco-Nuts and Rockin' Green.
• Our friends at Healthy Child have compiled a great little guide to help you protect your child from toxic exposure. Find it at http://healthychild.org/healthynurseryebook/.