The "crystal clear little salt grains" is a germicidal toilet cleaner, while the lemon-yellow plastic bottle contains dishwashing liquid with a lemon fragrance. A faint jasmine scent lingers in the air, which actually comes from an air freshener... Indeed, household cleaning agents have become indispensable items in modern homes. They clean our lives, but what else do they bring us?
Gentle Harm
Xiaoning is widely recognized as a virtuous wife and mother. Just after her honeymoon, she rolled up her sleeves and tied on an apron to immerse herself in endless washing and scrubbing. As a fashionable housewife, she also designated separate areas in the living room, kitchen, and bathroom for storing cleaning supplies, almost purchasing every type of household cleaner available – floor washers, furniture polishers, stainless steel brighteners, porcelain enhancers... The spotless environment reflected her love for life. However, not long after, Yuanling found that her once tender hands were becoming increasingly rough, her fingers started peeling for no apparent reason, and even developed small blisters in some places. The doctor diagnosed her condition as "housewife's hand," caused by excessive use of cleaning agents.
It turns out that the surfactants, builders, and other chemical additives contained in detergents can destroy the oily protective layer on the skin surface, thereby causing corrosion and damage to the skin. Acidic substances, including toilet cleaners, absorb moisture from skin tissue, causing protein coagulation; laundry detergent, especially strong stain removers and range hood cleaners, contain alkaline substances that not only absorb moisture but also destroy cell membranes, causing tissue proteins to denature, which is more harmful than acidic substances. Yuanling's rough hands are due to this very reason. Besides the skin, the chemical components in detergents also cause varying degrees of harm to hair and other parts of the body.
Maintaining a Safe Distance from Cleaning Agents:
Using cleaning agents doesn't necessarily mean intimate contact must occur. When doing household cleaning, it’s advisable to take appropriate protective measures, such as wearing rubber gloves when washing dishes, clothes, or mopping floors, and wearing masks when cleaning bathrooms or range hoods. After coming into contact with chemicals, rinse thoroughly with water and apply hand cream regularly. Good air does not need an air freshener.
Liangliang loves spraying air fresheners in the living room, particularly sweet vanilla aerosols. However, her husband, who studied chemistry, doesn’t think much of it. Liangliang doesn’t understand: "Isn’t air freshener supposed to keep the air fresh and clean?"
In fact, many brands of air fresheners on the market contain aromatic compounds like dichlorobenzene, ketones, and aldehydes, mostly derived from petroleum gases. These substances neither purify the air nor kill bacteria in the air; their main function is to mask any unpleasant odors in the air and help people feel refreshed. Experts say that if the human body inhales too much of these aromatic air fresheners, it may adversely affect respiratory mucosa, skin, and the nervous system. Infants and pregnant women are more sensitive to air fresheners. Data from the International Conference on Indoor Air Pollution in Edinburgh shows that infants under six months old who frequently come into contact with air fresheners have a 30% higher chance of developing ear infections and a 22% higher likelihood of suffering from diarrhea. In short, from a chemical perspective, artificially synthesized aerosols or air fresheners all contribute to indoor air pollution to varying degrees. The secret to fresh air: Use a humidifier to maintain suitable air humidity and reduce dust; open windows frequently for ventilation; regularly use air disinfectants to purify the air; use plant essential oils to add fragrance to your home.
Stay Away from Harmful Insecticides
It’s time to change seasons again. Xiaoli has neatly arranged her cool-season quilts, thin blankets, single-layered clothing, and light skirts, ready to pack them away. The meticulous Xiaoli also placed a few mothballs and desiccants in the boxes. Aunt Zhang, who came to visit, reminded her: "Mothballs containing naphthalene should not be used." Are there any hidden dangers in mothballs? Although camphor balls and naphthalene balls both belong to the category of mothballs and have insect-repellent, anti-moth, and anti-mold properties, the active ingredient in camphor balls comes from camphorwood and is harmless to humans. On the other hand, the main component of naphthalene balls is naphthalene gas that volatilizes from coal tar. Long-term inhalation can cause chronic poisoning and even induce malignant tumors. Although the state has long banned their production, counterfeit products still occasionally appear. Apart from naphthalene-containing mothballs, agents used to eliminate cockroaches, mosquitoes, flies, termites, etc., can also cause allergic reactions in humans and lead to cellular mutations upon entering the body.
Preventive Measures: Choose insect-killing products with clear product components and production markings, and reliable credibility; ensure adequate ventilation after using insect-killing products; use screens more often to reduce the frequency of aerosol insecticide use; distinguish between good and bad insecticides. For instance, naphthalene-containing mothballs are pure white, while genuine and harmless camphor balls are colorless or white crystals, resembling glass balls. Camphor balls are less dense and float on water, whereas naphthalene balls sink.
Bathroom Tragedy
A report online mentioned that a housewife in Guangzhou collapsed suddenly while cleaning the family bathroom. Her family rushed her to the hospital, but she passed away half an hour later. An autopsy confirmed chlorine poisoning. It turned out that in an attempt to enhance cleaning power, this unfortunate housewife mixed five types of cleaning products, possibly containing bleaching components, leftover bath gel, and toilet cleaner, causing a chemical reaction that produced chlorine gas, water, and salt. Since chlorine gas is heavier than air, it accumulated at the bottom of the small, poorly ventilated bathroom, leading to the tragedy. Similar domestic tragedies have been reported in Japan, the UK, and the US. Further research by British scientists revealed that using toilet cleaner to remove stains might produce irritating ammonia or ammonia water. When ammonia water mixes with bleach-based cleaners, toxic chloramine gas is easily generated, and excessive inhalation can severely inflame the lungs and cause pulmonary edema.
Avoid Dangerous Cleaning Zones: Most household cleaning agents are artificially synthesized compounds, some acidic, some alkaline, some requiring light avoidance, some needing protection from heating and sunlight exposure. There are even more possible chemical reactions when mixed. Therefore, various cleaning agents must be stored and used separately according to the instructions and should never be mixed.
We have long since moved beyond the era of washing everything with a single packet of detergent. With technological advancements, new, green, and environmentally friendly household cleaning products will undoubtedly continue to increase. The variety of cleaning agents is making our lives easier and more convenient. We certainly won’t abandon them due to temporary misuse, but the knowledge about household cleaning agents is growing, and we must learn it.