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Cleaning is much more than just a common chore. It is a way we show we care for ourselves and one another, not only for our physical health but also our mental health.
Nearly 9 in 10 Americans (87%) feel their best, both mentally and physically, when they have a clean home yet, 21% of Americans find cleaning tasks overwhelming. Creating regular cleaning routines and finding ways to break down responsibilities can…
The use of the terms "natural" and "synthetic" to describe cleaning products has led to some confusion among consumers. The best advice is to avoid making assumptions about safety or performance based on a "natural" label alone.
What do the terms "synthetic" and "natural" really mean…
Q How Does Cleaning Affect Your Health? A. Personal hygiene and regular housecleaning are essential to good health and cleaning products can help. Frequent handwashing is key to preventing the spread of microorganisms (also known as microbes or germs) that cause many common illnesses. And regular cleaning of surfaces in the home removes dirt and food particles on which germs can grow.In addition, cleaning and…
Cleaning technology has come a long way from the ancient Babylonian way of soap-making. Today’s cleaning products are the result of thoughtful design, experimentation, and safety testing.
The machines we use to clean have also improved, becoming more sustainable and friendly for our environment. So far we have been able to make new cleaning products that allow us to wash in cold water (saving energy…
Ingredient labels contain a lot of information. They have a list of ingredients, but they also need room for directions and important safety messages. Smart consumers can get additional information from company websites to find out more about those ingredients, including where they are sourced and the role they play in making that product effective. Learn more about the formulations in your favorite soaps and home cleaning products with these resources from the…
The ingredients in your cleaning products fall into several different categories, added to provide different characteristics and cleaning functions. Each product formula is a careful balance of various ingredients that will work best for what you are trying to clean.For more information about the specific ingredients in a cleaning product, visit the manufacturer's website or look for the product in SmartLabel…
Cleaning products play an essential role in our daily lives. By safely and effectively removing soils, germs and other contaminants, they help us to stay healthy, care for our homes and possessions, and make our surroundings more pleasant.
Promoting Wellness
Regular cleaning and disinfecting can do a good job of removing allergens and germs, helping to prevent…
If you or your child have allergies or asthma, you already know that many things can bring on, or "trigger," an asthma flare or episode. Some things that trigger asthma attacks are called allergens. Some people get symptoms from only one allergen - like dust mites. For other people, more than one kind of allergen can trigger an episode.
Tobacco smoke is an asthma trigger. Avoid smoking in a home where a person with asthma lives.
The…
Understand the language of soaps and detergents.
ALCOHOL: A class of organic compounds containing one or more hydroxyl groups. The alcohols used in light duty and liquid laundry detergents are isopropanol or ethanol (ethyl alcohol). These alcohols are used at low levels in liquid detergent formulations to control viscosity, to act as a solvent for other ingredients, and to provide resistance to low and freezing temperatures encountered in shipping, warehousing, and use. &…
People don't typically dispose of cleaning products - they use them up. Empty packages can then be recycled or discarded with other household waste. Unused amounts of cleaning products can generally be safely disposed of down the drain or in the trash. That's not the case with all products found around the home. For those products that do require special handling, such as solvent-based paints, used motor oil and certain pesticides, household hazardous…