Now that spring has arrived, many of us will be doing our annual spring clean. Here are some tips on how to reduce your risk of exposure to harmful chemicals as you do so!

Some of the cleaning products we use to keep our homes hygienic and protect our health actually contain hazardous chemicals that may harm it. So, here are a few rules of thumb that you can follow.

1. An easy way to reduce your risk of exposure to harmful chemicals is to use fewer products and smaller amounts of those products where possible. This will reduce the range of chemicals you may be exposed to. Use products that are proportionate to the job at hand – for day-to-day cleaning, hot water and a mild soap may do. Consider making your own from simple things like vinegar, lemon juice and bicarbonate of soda (find the full recipe here).
2. Secondly, avoid air fresheners as they often contain synthetic fragrances which may contain harmful chemicals, and instead open windows to increase ventilation.
3. When purchasing cleaning products, opt for those with an ecolabel, as these have stricter rules about what ingredients are allowed in them. Some to look out for include the EU Ecolabel, Blue Angel, Nordic Swan, and Green Seal.
4. Whilst looking at the label, keep an eye out and try to avoid products containing fragrances. Manufacturers are not required to list the ingredients in fragrances, and these may contain harmful substances such as phthalates, so opt for fragrance-free alternatives.
5. Finally, harmful chemicals can build up in household dust, so aim to hoover regularly, dust with a damp cloth, and open windows for fresh air.

Ultimately it should not be down to the consumer to bear the burden of avoiding harmful chemicals, and stronger regulations are needed to protect us. CHEM Trust is calling for a ban on the most harmful chemicals from consumer products.

You can find more information on our advice page here.

Check out our Reduce Your Risk episode all about cleaning products here.

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