"The crystal clear little salt grains" is a germ-killing toilet cleaner, while the lemon-yellow plastic bottle contains a dishwashing detergent with a fresh lemon scent. A delicate jasmine fragrance lingers in the air, thanks to the efforts of an air freshener... Indeed, household cleaning agents have become indispensable items in modern homes. They clean up our lives, but what else do they bring us?
Gentle Harm
Xiaoling is widely recognized as a virtuous wife and caring mother. Just after her honeymoon, she rolled up her sleeves, tied on an apron, and immersed herself in endless washing and scrubbing. As a fashionable housewife, she even designated cleaning supply storage areas in the living room, kitchen, and bathroom, almost acquiring all kinds of household cleaning agents—floor washers, furniture polishers, stainless steel brighteners, porcelain enhancers... The spotless cleanliness reflected her love for life. However, not long after, Xiaoling discovered that her once tender and smooth hands had become increasingly rough, her fingers started peeling for no apparent reason, and some areas even developed small blisters. The doctor's diagnosis was that Xiaoling had contracted "housewife's hand" due to excessive use of cleaning agents.
It turns out that the surfactants, builders, and other chemical additives found in detergents can disrupt the oily protective layer on the skin's surface, thereby causing corrosion and harm. Acidic substances, including toilet cleaners, absorb moisture from skin tissues, causing proteins to coagulate. Alkaline substances found in laundry detergents, especially strong stain removers and range hood cleaners, not only absorb moisture but also destroy cell membranes, causing tissue proteins to denature, which is more damaging than acidic substances. This is precisely why Xiaoling’s hands became so rough. Beyond the skin, the chemical components in detergents also cause varying degrees of damage to hair and other parts of the body.
Maintaining a Safe Distance from Cleaning Agents:
Using cleaning agents doesn't necessarily mean intimate contact is required. When doing household cleaning, it's advisable to take appropriate protective measures, such as wearing rubber gloves when washing dishes, doing laundry, or mopping floors, and wearing masks when cleaning bathrooms or range hoods. After coming into contact with chemicals, it's important to rinse thoroughly with water and apply hand cream regularly. Fresh air doesn’t need air fresheners.
Liangliang enjoys spraying air fresheners in her home, especially sweet vanilla aerosols. However, her husband, who studied chemistry, wasn’t impressed. Liangliang didn’t understand: “Can’t air fresheners keep the air fresh and clean?”
In fact, many brands of air fresheners on the market contain varying levels of aromatic compounds such as dichlorobenzene, ketones, and aldehydes, most of which are petroleum gas extracts. These substances cannot purify the air or kill bacteria; their primary function is to mask any unpleasant odors in the air and help people stay alert. According to experts, excessive inhalation of these aromatic air fresheners may adversely affect respiratory mucous membranes, skin, and the nervous system. Infants and pregnant women are particularly sensitive to air fresheners. Data from the International Conference on Indoor Air Pollution in Edinburgh shows that infants under six months who frequently come into contact with air fresheners have a 30% higher chance of contracting ear infections and a 22% higher likelihood of developing diarrhea. In short, from a chemical perspective, artificially synthesized aerosols or air fresheners worsen 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 disinfection products to purify the air; and use essential plant oils to add fragrance to your home.
Staying Away from Harmful Insecticides
It’s time to change the seasons and store away cool-season bedding and clothing. Xiaoli carefully packed them into boxes, and being meticulous, she added several mothballs and desiccants to the boxes. Aunt Zhang, who came over for a visit, reminded her: “Mothballs containing naphthalene shouldn’t be used.” Are there secrets hidden in mothballs? Although camphor balls and naphthalene balls both belong to the category of mothballs and possess insect-repellent, anti-moth, and anti-mold properties, camphor balls derive their active ingredients from camphor wood, which is harmless to humans. Naphthalene balls, however, mainly consist of naphthalene vapor volatilized from coal tar. Long-term inhalation can cause chronic poisoning and even lead to malignant tumors. Although the state has already explicitly banned its production, counterfeit products still appear from time to time. Besides naphthalene mothballs, agents used to eliminate cockroaches, mosquitoes, flies, termites, etc., may also cause allergic reactions in humans and lead to cellular mutation when entering the body.
Preventive Measures: Choose insecticide products with clear product composition and production markings, and reliable credibility. Ensure proper ventilation after using insecticides. Use window screens more often and reduce the frequency of aerosol insecticide usage. Distinguish between quality and inferior insecticides. For example, naphthalene mothballs are pure white, whereas genuine and harmless camphor balls are colorless or white crystals, resembling glass balls. Camphor balls are light and float on water, while naphthalene balls sink to the bottom.
Tragedy in the Bathroom
According to online reports, a housewife in Guangzhou collapsed while cleaning the family bathroom. Her family rushed her to the hospital, but half an hour later, the woman passed away. Autopsy results confirmed chlorine poisoning. It turned out that this unfortunate housewife mixed five different cleaning products, possibly containing bleach, leftover shower gel, and toilet cleaner, in order to enhance cleaning power. A chemical reaction occurred, producing chlorine gas, water, and salt. Since chlorine gas is heavier than air, it accumulated at the lower part of the small and 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 gas or ammonia water. When ammonia water mixes with bleach-containing cleaning agents, toxic chloramine gas is easily produced, which can cause severe lung inflammation and pulmonary edema if inhaled excessively.
Stepping Out of the Dangerous Zone: Most household cleaning agents are synthetic compounds, some acidic, some alkaline, some requiring light avoidance, others needing protection from heat and sunlight. There are even more possible chemical reactions when mixing them. Therefore, various cleaning agents should be stored separately and used according to the instructions, never mixed together.
We’ve long since moved beyond the era where a single packet of laundry powder sufficed for everything. With advancements in technology, new, green, and environmentally friendly household cleaning products will undoubtedly increase day by day. The variety of cleaning agents is making our lives easier and more convenient. We certainly won’t abandon their use because of temporary misuse. But the science behind household cleaning agents is growing, and we mustn't neglect learning about it.