Without a chemistry degree (or maybe even with one!) it is incredibly challenging to select safe cleaning products. Sadly, manufacturers know how to make us feel good about our choices, so they’ll use buzzwords like “natural” or employ “greenwashing” tactics like including the color green and natural imagery to make us feel better about their product. The truth is: “natural” means very little, is not a regulated term, and natural products can be just as harmful as the most chemical-laden bottle on the shelf! Natural products can contain chemicals that are linked to endocrine disruption, cancer, and early death. As you search for safer options to use in your home, it’s critical to remember that you can’t always trust what’s on the label. Here are the top things to keep in mind when it comes to “natural” brands and products.
Top 3 Things To Keep In Mind When It Comes To “Natural” Product Claims
1.“Natural” is not a regulated term.
The cleaning product industry is incredibly poorly regulated, so many of the terms we accept as signs that a product is safe, or that it has met standards put forth by a governing body, are essentially meaningless. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registers disinfectants, so the term “disinfectant,” can only be used on the packaging if it has undergone the EPA’s rigorous testing and registration process. Few other terms are regulated and “natural” has no clear definition or meaning on labels. A product labeled “natural” can still contain artificial ingredients, additives, and be genetically modified, so consumers should disregard this term entirely when shopping for products!
2. “Natural” cleaning products can contain harmful chemicals, too.
Cleaning products labeled “natural” can contain dangerous, toxic chemicals. One of the best examples of this is the inclusion of fragrances in these products. The fragrance industry is self-regulating and fragrances are considered “trade secrets” so manufacturers aren’t required to disclose up to hundreds of ingredients that they use in their formula. Some of these can include chemicals like phthalates (which help scent linger longer) and which are associated with cancer and early death. Many of these chemicals don’t add anything to the efficacy of a cleaning product, but they do bring with them an increased risk for adverse health impact, particularly as fragrance chemicals can pass through the barrier of our skin and enter our bloodstream. Even “natural” fragrances like essential oils can trigger allergies!
These undisclosed fragrance chemicals can include carcinogens, hormone disruptors, neurotoxins, and skin and respiratory irritants. Other chemicals to watch out for include: Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and Methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMIT), and quaternary ammonium compounds (quats).
3. “Natural” products aren’t necessarily safer or more effective.
Even “natural” ingredients can pack a punch when it comes to the safety of ourselves and our families. For example, many DIY cleaning products involve using distilled white vinegar. Don’t get us wrong – we love vinegar! It’s one of the key ingredients in our powerhouse cleaning solution: hypochlorous acid, nature’s oldest disinfectant! That said, vinegar has some surprising drawbacks, including that it can damage surfaces, corrode seals and grout, and even cause burns.
Most importantly, however, vinegar is not a disinfectant and isn’t powerful enough on its own to kill dangerous viruses and bacteria like MRSA and Staph.
Force of Nature is Naturally Natural (& Effective!)
Force of Nature is as effective as bleach, just without all those toxic chemicals! In our convenient, countertop device, simple water, salt, and vinegar come together to create a powerful cleaning and disinfecting solution: hypochlorous acid (HOCl). This solution is the same our own body creates to help our immune system fight infections and works by attacking pathogens by breaking down their cell walls. Force of Nature is a federal EPA registered hospital disinfectant proven to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, including Norovirus, Salmonella, Influenza A, Staph, MRSA, Listeria & Pseudomonas Aeruginosa. The federal EPA has registered Force of Nature for sanitizing and disinfecting hospitals, ICUs, medical clinics, and more, and Force of Nature is certified 100% skin-safe and best for sensitive skin by SkinSAFE, Mayo Clinic’s allergy rating system.
Swap Force of Nature for all those “natural” deodorizers, bleach, kitchen, bath, glass, and rug cleaners under your sink and breath easier knowing that you aren’t exposing your family to harmful, toxic chemicals. Shop for your Force of Nature starter kit and learn how to use Force of Nature throughout your home!
