We wouldn’t drench our kitchen benches in petroleum or spray a bottle labelled “carcinogen” into our showers, but are we doing a similar thing by using conventional household cleaning products? Many experts think so. Research by the US Environmental Protection Agency revealed that more than 150 chemicals commonly used in our homes are associated with allergies, cancer, psychological disorders and birth defects, while Kidsafe NSW says common household cleaners and chemicals are causing 95 per cent of childhood poisoning incidents.

Plus, let’s not forget the eco impact — all these chemicals literally go down the drain, interfere with the waste treatment process and can end up polluting rivers, bays and oceans. This whole process can hurt marine life, vegetation and, in turn, us!

Many conventional cleaning products also contain non-renewable-petroleum ingredients (which have been linked to cancer and other health risks). If every household in Australia replaced one 800ml bottle of petroleum-based cleaner with a plant-based one, it would save enough barrels of oil to heat around 500 homes.

Unfortunately, cleaning product companies don’t have to list all ingredients on their products, making it harder to know what’s really safe and what’s not. Clue words on labels that scream “I’m full of harmful chemicals!” include “hazardous”, “corrosive”, “flammable”, “danger” and “irritant”.

The truth about germs

Toxicologist Dr Peter Dingle has spent more than 20 years studying the effects of chemicals and says we’ve become obsessed with killing germs and every kind of bacteria under the sun, despite the fact that each surface houses billions of bacteria, 99 per cent of which are actually beneficial.

“I’ve seen ads on TV for spray cans that say, ‘You can spray this on a surface and wipe it over and it will get rid of the bacteria’ and this is all hype because the bacteria will be back on that surface within seconds. And, because you’ve actually upset the balance, you’re probably going to end up with more toxic bacteria. So people think they’re doing the right thing by hygiene but they’re actually doing the complete opposite.

“Whether an antibacterial solution has been used or not, if the surface is left moist, bacteria will begin to reproduce there within 30 minutes or so. The truth of the matter is you don’t need antibacterial treatments on benches in homes — just keep them clean and dry,” says Dr Dingle.

So what are the alternatives to harmful chemical cleaners?

Natural & eco-friendly options

1. Natural, commercial cleaning products

You can buy these from healthfood stores and most supermarkets. Ingredients to look for include citrus and plant-based substances, salts, essential oils and sodas; and no: triclosan, phosphorous, phosphates, ammonia, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, chlorine, diethanolamine, formaldehyde, hydrochloric acid, naphthalene, propane, isobutane, sulphuric acid or dioxins.

A handy guide is if you can’t easily pronounce an ingredient (and it’s not a Latin botanical-sounding name — eg Citrus sinensis is the botanical name for sweet orange essential oil), there’s a good chance it’s a synthetic (and most likely nasty) one.