M2.3: Household Products

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The following household products are items I use on a regular basis, which I researched on the National Library of Medicine's Household Products Database.

Clorox Bleach, Concentrated, Regular (For laundry)
The health rating for clorox was 3 (serious). I am not surprised by this rating because I understand it to be a chemical that is for disinfecting and used to turn dirty whites to clean whites. However, the one health risk that was surprising for me was to find out that one of the components (sodium hypochlorite) is a group 3 carcinogen - meaning it was not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans. This brings up whether there is a slight possibility that clorox could be a carcinogen. There are a number of negative effects if exposed to clorox such as corrosion, severe irritation, and gastrointestinal burn. I'm surprised that a product can do that much harm considering I have been using the product without the precautions suggested (like gloves) and I have not experienced these symptoms (yet).

Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid, Original Scent (For dishes)
According to the health effects, the only warning that can be seen is irritation which can be remedied by thoroughly rinsing the area with water. Consumption of the liquid can be diluted by drinking water but should not be swallowed in the first place. The surprising factor of this product for myself was that it says to use protective equipment when handling the product. I wonder as to why that would be necessary if there the risks are minimal. Given this information, it suggests that the health risks for using this product are minimal.

Both are considered hazardous to a certain degree and require protective equipment. 
Based on the findings, I decided to change my behavior towards how I use these products. I will use protective gear and see if I can find an alternative to making my white clothing white. 

Once again, everyone should know about the risks in their products. For cleaning products, I think people are conscious of the risks of these products because they can be found on the bottle. I also think that people would be able to determine if something were dangerous to use that could negatively impact our health. Lastly, everyone has a different experience with the products they use which can influence whether they will buy the products again or not. Thus, it is difficult to determine what is right or wrong.

Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 5, 2018 at 8:10 PM

    I actually used the Dawn dish soap tonight after dinner, and I was wondering about the health effects of using it. Thank you for sharing what you found. Using protective gloves when handling these products is a great idea, and EWG.org might have some healthier alternatives to these products.

    I agree with you in that everyone should know the risks of using these products. It is interesting that cleaning products have warning labels on them, but most of the personal care products don't and some seem more hazardous than others.

    Great post!
    Kera

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  2. AnonymousSeptember 6, 2018 at 2:28 PM

    Hi Daisy

    Like yourself and Kera, I also use Dawn's dish soap to pre-wash dishes and wash my pots/pans. I've seen commercials where they've used Dawn to wash up animals who've been victims of oil spills, so I originally thought the product wouldn't be too harmful for humans. Still, I try to look up other alternatives for my cleaning products. For instance, using lemons, baking soda, and table salt can help break down grease on pots and pans, which work just as effectively as using dish soap. As for making your clothes whiter, I've found that using baking soda and vinegar is a great alternative that is also environmentally-friendly. I strongly suggest you give it a try!

    Carmen

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  3. UnknownSeptember 10, 2018 at 11:38 AM

    Hi Daisy,

    Great summary of your findings regarding household products you use. The smell of Clorox is so strong and I agree that I am not surprised by the higher hazard rating. I also agree with you about the possibility of Clorox being a carcinogen based on your findings from the ingredients. I am glad you plan to use protective gear when using this product or find an alternative. For the past couple of months I actually switched from using dawn dish soap to a brand by the name of Mrs. Meyers. It is a great brand that also offers laundry detergent, household cleaners and hand soap. The formula of their products is plant based and biodegradable. I suggest you try them out as an alternative to dawn.

    ReplyDelete

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