It doesn’t feel like that long ago that many of us were cleaning with a dingy old sponge – and then bleach-based cleaning wipes became all the rage. Easy to use and dispose of, there was no more sad, shriveled sponge hiding under our sinks. Clorox and Lysol both make bleach wipes that are considered to fully disinfect all surfaces and are easily found at grocery stores and big box stores.
Especially in the last few years, bleach cleaning wipes have gained even more popularity, as the entire world attempts to disinfect every surface several times each day.
But did you know that bleach is considered extremely dangerous and toxic to humans?
Surely you already know that ingesting bleach is deadly, but coming into physical contact with it or inhaling it is also damaging in many ways. Bleach irritates the skin, lungs, and eyes. It can actually burn human tissue, as well as cause rashes, headaches, migraines, muscle weakness, abdominal discomfort, nausea, and vomiting.
The University of Bergen in Norway actually found that cleaning with traditional household cleaners such as bleach has the same effect on lung capacity as smoking a pack of cigarettes each day.
And if that’s not enough for you to kiss your bleach wipes goodbye, bleach in our waterways causes carcinogens to develop. It also depletes the ozone layer. All of those thousands of wipes we’re carelessly throwing away also contain plastic fibers, which take hundreds of years to break down.
So what’s the solution?
Better Options Are Out There
The great news is that you are not required to clean with bleach! Other traditional cleaning agents like Ammonia, Formaldehyde, Phthalates, Abrasives, Phosphates, Parabens and Quaternary Disinfectants that are equally harmful can be avoided too.
And no, you won’t be compromising on the cleanliness of your house.
It’s well-known that vinegar and hydrogen peroxide make for an effective disinfectant cleaning solution, but some people feel strongly about the smell of vinegar and don’t prefer to clean with it.
The convenience of a cleaning wipe really can’t be beat, either.
You can find better-for-you cleaning wipe options at your local grocery stores, such as Seventh Generation or Arm & Hammer Essentials, but the majority of options still contain harsh skin irritants. You may also balk at the price of a “clean” solution in comparison to what Clorox and Lysol cost.
That’s why we recommend a Melaleuca product called Tough & Tender Biodegradable Cleaning Wipes. Budget-friendly, shipped straight to your home, safe for the environment, and plant-based, without sacrificing convenience – what more could you ask for?
Know Better, Do Better
Chances are that you didn’t know just how dangerous bleach was to be cleaning with, and who can blame you? Our moms and grandmas swore by the stuff. But now that you know better, it’s time to do better.
When you start to switch to better-for-you cleaning products, it’s easiest to replace one item at a time, starting with your most-used cleaners. For many of us, that will be our disinfecting wipes.
It’s important to find a brand or brands that you feel confident about – both in their effectiveness and their safety. And while a few of these can be found at your grocery store, it’s impossible to ignore that their price tags are not the same as their harsh chemical counterparts. For many of us on a budget, these brands are unattainable. As you do your research, make sure that you’re comfortable with the price point you’re committing to.
In the case of Melaleuca products, you can also save money by becoming a member and having your cleaning products shipped directly to your home. Joining a subscription service can help take the guesswork out of if you can afford products that you trust.
We’re all in the same boat of trying to keep our homes clean and our families safe and healthy. Let’s start by removing harmful chemicals from our daily routines!