The Problem of Over ­Cleaning with Toxic Chemicals

We all want to maintain a healthy and safe home for ourselves and our families. Despite our best efforts to keep our homes germ free, our desire to control our environment can lead us down the path of cleaning with dangerous chemicals which can actually make our homes less safe. 

Chemical cleaners are not only toxic but can also help create superbugs.

These chemical cleaners may get the job done, but only for a short amount of time, and are not safe to touch or have around children. Because these chemicals only last for a short time, more money needs to be spent to keep a home clean.

Did you know the average American spends 42 dollars a month on cleaning supplies?

That's 504 dollars a year spent on toxic chemicals to use in the home.

The disadvantage does not stop there.

There are consequences for using these chemicals in the home. Women’s Voices for the Earth, whose tagline is: “Our Health, Our Future, Toxic Free” recently released an article on the hidden toxins in the everyday cleaners we buy: “Cleaning product companies tell you that to keep your home clean and smelling fresh, you need to rely on an army of cleaning and air care products. Sprays, wipes, powders, liquids and more are sold with the promise of improving your home and your health by removing dirt and germs. More often than not, these products are also infused with fragrance to add a pleasant sensory experience to your everyday chores and to give your home that “clean” and “fresh “smell of lemon or pine forests.

What companies are not telling you is that cleaning products can contain toxic chemicals that may harm your health. Manufacturers often recommend frequent and repeated use of their products, but this also translates to frequent and repeated exposures to potentially harmful chemicals. You may inhale these chemicals by breathing indoor air and some of them can be absorbed through the skin. Long-term exposures to certain chemicals found in household cleaners have been linked to serious health problems like pregnancy complications, breast cancer, birth defects, asthma and allergic reactions.”

There’s another important concern of over-cleaning with toxic chemicals that should make people extremely nervous: superbugs.

A study by the National University of Ireland discovered that introducing disinfectants to laboratory cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, caused the bacteria to adapt to survive not only the disinfectant but also to common antibiotics without having ever been exposed to them.

The bacteria cell had adapted to rid itself of disinfectants and antibiotics and created a mutation in its DNA to resist certain strains of antibiotics altogether.

A separate report from Science Transitional Medicine found that the multidrug-resistant bacterium Enterococcus faecium has and is continuing to adapt to tolerate sanitation efforts with alcohol-based disinfectants in hospitals.

Superbugs can easily get out of control. Certain resistant bacteria are known for causing pneumonia, urinary tract infections, skin infections and more which can all become very dangerous if they can’t be treated and the patient’s health is compromised.

However, cleaning is still important.

What can we do to clean thoroughly while not introducing toxins into our home or contributing to the creation of superbugs?

Use products that utilize a mechanical or physical kill instead of a chemical one.

Mechanical solutions literally impale bacteria on contact.

This means that the bacterial cell is not only dead, but it also destroys its ability to reproduce; thus rendering the bacteria unable to adapt and keeps superbugs from being created.

Because these bacteria are destroyed physically, no harsh or toxic chemicals are required.

Everest Microbial Defense’s EV360™ Antimicrobial Protectant physically protects against odor causing bacteria, mold and mildew from treated surfaces for up to 90 days.

Get it here.