So, in our mission to be more environmentally conscious and aware of some of the chemicals we bring into our house for use, I have some concerns at the same time in starting to make the switch to more natural products.
I'll use the toilet bowl cleaning example. We were running out and Adam picked up a natural cleaner. Compare the ingredients of the 'old' bottle we were using versus the 'new' one. Both are made from the same company.
OLD - Sodium Hypochlorite (2.4%), Other Ingredients (97.6%)
*I don't even know what "other" ingredients means! I know it says it "contains 2.28% available chlorine....still not even sure what that means.
NEW - Filtered water, coconut-based cleaning agent, citric acid, lactic acid, fragrance with essential oil, natural thickener, blue and yellow colorant. Contains no phosphorus. Contains no bleach.
Since sodium hypochlorite sounds pretty "chemical", you'd think the 'new' bottle would be better, wouldn't you? But does it work? We have slowly been switching to several natural cleaners instead of the usual. But I feel that perhaps I am more comforted by the 'old' harsh smell of chemicals - knowing whatever I was cleaning was for sure clean.
The 'old' bottle states that it kills staphylecoccus aureus, salmonella choleraesuis, influenza A2 virus, rotavirus WA and candida albicans. Sounds pretty comforting. It also includes an entire label of warnings and dangers of the product and what to do if in eyes, on skin or swallowed. A little less comforting.
The 'new' bottle only states that it "removes rust, mineral and hard-water deposits, and is safe for plumbing and septic systems." Will it kill any germs though?? Only warning - eye irritant. More comforting.
So what to do? Is using these new natural products much better? It will leave our home with fewer chemicals throughout, but are they also leaving the germs that we are trying to kill? I'm not sure I'm sold yet....
Anyone else make the switch to more natural products?
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