A List of Chemicals I Try to Avoid in Cleaning Products
Here is a list of the potentially toxic chemicals I avoid in my home cleaning products that may be harmful to the environment, wildlife, or my family’s health.
Learning to read cleaning product ingredient lists is one of the best ways to avoid greenwashing and fake environmental claims.
The thing is, you take one look at a label and it seems like a task for scientists.
And that’s if they share them with you - most brands don’t.
Understanding labels has taken me years of practice.
When I started reading labels and learning about ingredients it was to figure out what was irritating my skin. My body felt constantly itchy and I suffered from recurring sinusitis and out-of-control asthma.
There were so many symptoms and so many products in my home.
A few years later, I became aware of environmental issues and that was a whole new world to navigate.
I’ve read so many research studies (usually more than once because my brain is like a sieve since having children), read government regulations, and paid attention to what certified green brands are using.
As I’m autistic, I have an eye for details and patterns, along with an incredible amount of focus when I’m interested in a topic.
At the same time, I’m aware I’m not actually a scientist or a person with a chemistry degree. I realised it was easier to spot the chemicals I wanted to avoid.
It’s also easier to ask a company if their product contains an ingredient (by suggesting you’re sensitive or allergic to it) than to ask for the formula.
With the lack of transparency in the cleaning industry, sadly that’s the sort of thing you have to do if you want to know what’s in your products.
Greenwashing is a big issue because sustainable living is profitable and there’s no one regulating buzzwords, like “non-toxic,” “natural,” or “eco-friendly.”
I often get messages asking if a brand is eco-friendly, or if their products live up to their claims. I try my best to help, but there are so many products out there that I thought it would be helpful to give you the tools to find out yourself.
Here is a list of potentially toxic chemicals and allergens I avoid and why.
Where can you find cleaning product ingredients?
Sometimes it feels like they are trying to make life harder for the customers wanting to avoid controversial chemicals or be environmentally friendly.
Unfortunately, cleaning companies don’t legally have to list their ingredients on the packaging (even in Europe!) so most of them don’t.
You can sometimes find the active ingredients on their website or by searching for safety data sheets. Here are a few things to try:
Check the product page and the company’s FAQ page
On Google, type in the name of the brand, products and the word “ingredients,” (adding quotes can give you a more accurate search).
If they haven’t been disclosed, go onto Google and search the brand, product, and “MSDS” (the manufacturer’s safety data sheet - these are required if the products are being used in workplaces).
Photo by Ladies Cleaning UK
A quick glossary of chemical groups
What are chemical skin sensitisers?
Skin sensitisers are chemicals with the ability to cause an allergic reaction over time. You may not be allergic to it the first time you have contact with it but you could develop an allergy from repeated exposure.
Allergies can show up as a red, itchy, bumpy rash, or even respiratory symptoms and asthma.
What are biocides?
Biocides often contain hazardous chemicals. They are used to kill or control insects, fungi, animals and bacteria. Some common examples of biocides are pesticides, preservatives and disinfectants.
Biocide cleaners are commonly used in healthcare settings where infection control is priority. Overuse of biocides has been linked to antibiotic resistance.
Biocide use has also been linked to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) and the decline of honey bees.
What are endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)?
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals that mimic or interfere with hormones in the body's endocrine system.
They can trick the body into thinking they are hormones and cause health issues, like infertility, endometriosis, poor sperm quality, cancer, diabetes, autoimmune disorders and neurological disorders.
Quaternary ammonium compounds (Quats or QAC)
Quats are known to trigger asthma and may be toxic to our reproductive systems.
They are biocides and commonly used as disinfectants. They are usually included in fabric softeners as they make clothes feel softer.
Distearyldimonium chloride, diethyl ester dimethyl ammonium chloride, variants of hydroxyethyl methyl ammonium methyl sulfate, benzalkonium chloride “Cationic surfactant” “biodegradable softening agent”
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
VOCs are the most common air pollutants at home. They are a large group of chemicals found in many products. They evaporate easily at room temperature and release harmful gases into the indoor air.
VOCs are often accompanied by a strong odour, for example, the smell of paint is caused by a volatile organic compound.
Breathing in low levels of volatile organic compounds for long periods of time could increase some people’s risk of health problems. They are particularly bad for people with asthma or chemical sensitivities.
As they are a group of chemicals, each VOC has its own toxicity and potential for causing different health problems.
A list of chemicals I try to avoid in cleaning products
Scroll down for more information on what they are, what they do, and references for each group of chemicals:
Phthalates
Benzisothiazolinone (BIT)
Methylisothiazolinone (MI or MIT)
Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI or CMIT)
Petrochemicals
Synthetic fragrance
Phosphates/phosphonates
Optical brighteners
Urea
Lanolin
Tallow
Sodium tallowate
Glycerin (animal)
Triclosan
Benzalkonium chloride
GMOs
Chlorine bleach
Phthalates
Diethylphthalate (DEP) - common
Phthalates (tha-lates) are a petroleum-based group of chemicals used in all kinds of products. They are a type of endocrine-disruptors (EDCs) that causes issues with reproductive health.
Many types of phthalates have been banned in the EU and each year they seem to be reducing the amount allowed, mainly in children’s products.
They are used to “soften,” for example, they stop nail varnish cracking, they make hair spray less stiff, and they make plastic flexible, like PVC.
In cleaning products they are commonly used to stabilise synthetic fragrances.
Isothiazolinones
Benzisothiazolinone (BIT), Methylisothiazolinone (MI or MIT) Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI or CMIT)
A group of biocides used as preservatives in cleaning products. Since parabens got a bad name, many companies have replaced them with isothiazolinones so their use is on the rise.
The Soil Association classes them as “a common irritant with prolonged exposure to low levels may damage the developing nervous system."
EU’s Ecocert label will not certify products with them because they are toxic to aquatic life and do not degrade without oxygen.
The EWG lists them as an irritant and a sensitiser.
MI was named allergen of the year in 2013 because of its link to eczema.
Despite all this, some “eco-friendly” cleaning brands choose to use them. As they are a known allergen they have to be on the label.
Petroleum-derived additives
Most conventional household cleaners contain petroleum-derived additives and surfactants, including some “eco-friendly” brands.
Petroleum is derived from crude oil, a fossil fuel that is fracked or drilled from the bottom of the sea. Oil drilling is catastrophic for the environment. It causes oil spills, water contamination, damages ecosystems and poisons wildlife.
There are plenty of brands creating effective eco-friendly alternatives so I prefer to support them instead.
There is also the issue of added liquid plastics and microbeads to cleaning products. They are cheap surfactants, fillers and emulsifiers. Microplastics are tiny and water treatment systems aren’t designed to filter them out.
For a long list of common microplastics in cleaning products, click here.
Synthetic fragrance
“Parfum”
Despite being labelled as a single word, fragrances can contain up to 200 chemicals. Even if cleaning products, perfume is classed as a trade secret and brands do not have to disclose this information to the public. This makes it hard to work out what you’re allergic to if you have a reaction.
Synthetic fragrances are cheap substitutes for essential oils and natural oils. They are usually derived from petroleum and contain phthalates to stabilise them.
Phosphates/phosphonates
Sodiumtripolyphosphate
Used as water softeners which isn’t really necessary as there are less harmful alternatives.
Phosphates cause excessive growth of algae in receiving water. These algae often grow in such great numbers that the water becomes starved of light and oxygen, killing fish and plant life.
The EU is aware of the issue and has now restricted the amount allowed in cleaning products which doesn’t make phosphates a big problem anymore. Mainstream cleaning brands tend to use them still whereas eco-friendly brands avoid them.
Phosphonates are a safer alternative to phosphates as they do not harm aquatic life, but they aren’t fully removed by water treatment systems and aren’t biodegradable.
I prefer to avoid both just to be safe.
Optical brighteners
triazine-stilbenes
Optical brighteners are used in laundry products to make clothes appear brighter. They attach themselves to fabric and reflect light to give the illusion of whiteness. They don’t actually make products white or clean and don’t rinse off.
Optical brighteners are extremely difficult to biodegrade and can be harmful to aquatic life. As they remain on the fabric they can sometimes cause skin irritation.
Eco labels won’t approve them.
Tallow
Tallow is animal fat and is usually sourced from intensively farmed cows that have a heavy environmental impact. Due to the cruel nature of mass farming, products containing tallow are not suitable for people who have animal welfare high on their agenda.
Technically tallow is not toxic, but I personally do not believe animals should be killed to be used in cleaning products.
Often found in fabric softeners.
Lanolin
The wax that protects the wool of sheep (and other wooly animals).
Cleaning brands that source cheap lanolin may not care about animal welfare. Always look for an in depth policy or a cruelty-free certification when buying non-vegan products.
Glycerin or glycerine
(Unless specifically stated that it is from a vegetable source)
,Glycerin can be made from tallow (animal fat)
Sodium tallowate
A soap made from tallow (animal fat)
GMO
Genetically modified organisms are now being added to cleaning products, instead of palm oil. There have been no independent safety tests to prove that these methods are safe on humans.
Photo by Zoflora
Benzalkonium Chloride (BAC)
or alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (ADBAC), a type of Quaternary Ammonium Compound
A QAC and surfactant that is used as a disinfectant, a preservative and an antiseptic in a wide range of products. You may find it as a preservative in wet wipes (like Water Wipes) and eye drops.
It is the active ingredient in antibacterial cleaners, like Zoflora. You may recall a warning from vets about BAC being toxic to cats that made the headlines. Despite this, anyone I’ve seen selling it as a disinfectant says it is fine around animals and children.
BAC is a skin irritant and a sensitiser. It is toxic if swallowed and can cause breathing difficulties, especially if you have asthma.
Triclosan
Triclosan is a biocide that is used to kill bacteria; it is often found in antibacterial liquid soaps, although has been banned from them in the US.
Triclosan is known for:
its potential to cause antibiotic resistance
being highly toxic to aquatic life
reducing thyroid hormones in animal studies
skin, lung, eye irritant
a hormone disruptor
having the potential to cause asthma when exposed from childhood
Chlorine bleach
Sodium Hypochlorite
(Different to oxygen bleach which I do not avoid)
People have died or poisoned themselves by accidentally mixing bleach with other chemicals, like vinegar, and created a lethal gas. It’s definitely not something I want in the house now I have children.
Bleach is a sensitiser and can cause non-allergic asthma to develop. When used as a spray tiny droplets in the air get inhaled and can cause respiratory symptoms. Studies have shown that the long-term use of bleach can damage the lungs, particularly in cleaners.
Chlorine bleach can also cause skin burns and severe eye damage,
Hope you found this helpful.
If it’s a bit overwhelming I recommend you check out my list of recommended natural cleaning brands in the UK.
What is your biggest struggle when it comes to natural cleaning? Let me know in the comments below.