Today, most homes contain more chemicals than were found in a typical chemistry lab at the turn of the century. The Consumer Safety Commission has determined that cleaning products are some of the most dangerous substances in your home. According to an EPA Report to Congress on Indoor Air and the subcommittee hearings on the Indoor Air Quality Act of 1989, indoor air pollution is one of the nation´s biggest environmental health problems.

The EPA says that most homes have airborne concentrations of hazardous and toxic chemicals that are two to five times higher indoors than outdoors. In one five-year study, the EPA said that a number of homes have chemical levels that were 70 times higher inside the homes than outside! Chemical concentrations are so high in some homes because cleaning products and some personal care products release toxic vapors into the air when they are used - and even when they are stored. This process is called out-gassing.

Most children spend 12 to 20 hours a day at home. Children are more vulnerable to toxic vapors
than adults because they have a higher metabolic rate. They need more oxygen, and they breathe two to three times as much air (and therefore toxins) relative to body size than adults. Children are more physically active which increases their breathing rate and intake of toxins. Also, they play close to the floor where heavier pollutants settle.

Airborne chemicals are the suspected cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) which takes the lives of thousands of infants each year. This may explain why there higher documented incidences of SIDS in the winter. During the winter, windows are usually closed, which decreases ventilation, and increases the concentration of gas vapors in the home. No one knows what causes SIDS, but why take unnecessary risks with your infant?

Personal care products are made to put on your skin, in your hair, or in your mouth. But many of the ingredients are toxic and can be ingested during use (ie. mouthwash and toothpaste)Product put on the skin can easily absorbed into the bloodstream (Ie. soaps, lotions, creams, cosmetic, shampoos, deodorants.)

In 1989, a House Subcommittee asked the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to analyze 2,093 chemicals used in personal care products. The results were as follows: 884 of the ingredients were found toxic. Of these, 778 can cause acute toxicity, 146 can cause tumors, 218 can cause reproductive complications, 314 can cause biological mutation, and 376 can cause skin and eye irritations. Every year, five to ten million household poisonings are reported. Many are fatal. Most of the victims are children. Accidental ingestion of household substances are common.

Ther reason that Name Brand Cleaners are switching to Natural Cleaners is because the amount of toxins Household cleaners is so great. Rapid City SD (PRWEB) July 20, 2007 -- The number of Natural Cleaners sold in supermarkets these days is increasing. Do you wonder why natural cleaners are outselling name brands? Is there something we are not being told about all those commercial household cleaners that accumulate under the kitchen sink?

The alternatives to harsh chemicals are finding their way onto the shelves of supermarkets, and the consumer now has a choice between harsh commercial cleaners and these natural products. The cost is usually less than the toxic cleaners on the shelves of super markets. Natural household cleaners have been found to be very safe for consumers and the environment and are very effective. All natural cleaners are not created equal so it is wise to do a little research online before investing in a product.

Most of us have been condition through the years to accept products we have been using for years. We don't see any physical symptoms so we subconsciously conclude that it is not that harmful. Until one day years of exposure leads to something serious or life threatening and it is to late. Switching to natural household products makes sense. Make the decision to change for the sake of those you care, those that care about you and the environment.