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Q. If products aren’t tested on animals (Awesome!), how do companies ensure they’re safe to use?
A. Testing methods that don’t rely on animals as used for demonstrating and predicting the toxicity of chemicals and product formulations are increasing being used in product development applications and for some product categories they are accepted by regulatory authorities to help show a chemical or product is safe.
When consumer products are…
"Grandma's recipes" for home cleaning have been a part of household lore for years. Lately, these recipes have been promoted as a "safer" alternative to commercially formulated cleaning products. While we may feel comfortable using these ingredients in cleaning applications, perhaps because some are edible, there are important facts about these recipes to consider. Ignoring these considerations may mean…
In 2016, after years of science-based advocacy from ACI, industry partners and stakeholders, President Obama signed the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act.
ACI's goal in TSCA modernization was to ensure members’ ability to innovate and formulate. ACI is committed to targeted risk-management measures that focus priorities and are practical, timely, transparent and responsive to the needs of consumers and other stakeholders.
ACI was a leader among allied…
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…
The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) is active in states that have a legislative, regulatory or executive mandate on cleaning product procurement in a given jurisdiction.
ACI has been substantially engaged in environmentally preferable procurement issues. ACI is recognized for its contributions in many areas including standards development, and work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on developing its environmentally preferable purchasing…
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…
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-…
As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to make updates to its Safer Choice Standards, the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) expressed support but is seeking modifications to what EPA is proposing.
The proposed updates to Safer Choice are the first since 2015. Many ACI member companies participate in the program, whose aim is to help consumers, businesses, and purchasers find products that perform and contain ingredients that are safer for…
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. &…
There are so many cleaning products out there. How do you pick the best one for your and your family?
The best cleaning product is the one that will be used, so the most important thing is that it works for what you need it for. If a product isn’t working, try something else. Not sure what to choose? The label has a lot of good information that can help. See our guide on reading a label for more information.
One place to look on the label as…