Serving Size: 4.92 MB Servings Per Container: 1 In Your Body On Your Body For Your Home For Your Family Seeking Medical Treatment How to Detoxify Your Body Guide to Symptoms A Healthy House Values, Vision & Mission Background & History Staff & Advisors News & Upcoming Events Join Our Mailing List Contact Us Recommended Resources Index of Terms Works Cited This product contains 100% natural ingredients. Easy Pay Pal Donations TNTP Grade A Brain-food More Special Features Back to Index of Terms The product Floor Cleaner is in the following categories: Household Cleaners Floor Cleaner CHEMICALS CONTAINED: Most commercial floor cleaners are a brew of toxic, petroleum-based chemicals. Residue from cleaners can remain on the floor, and so may come in contact with people’s skin, especially babies and toddlers crawling on the floor. Most contain a mixture of detergents to clean off dirt and grime, dispersion and suspension agents, and may also include toxic solvents to dissolve grime and speed product drying time. Products that are made to polish as well as clean floors often contain strong acids or solvents to remove the coating left behind by previous washing and polishing. They may also include ammonia, synthetic dyes and fragrances. Most synthetic dyes and fragrances are made from petroleum by-products or coal tars (a carcinogenic liquid or semi-liquid from bituminous coal). Coal tars can contain benzene, xylene, naphthalene, phenol and creosol. Synthetic fragrances are much less expensive than natural ones, and so are most commonly used. Most have not been tested for safety, or have undergone only minimal testing. Each individual fragrance may be made from up to 4,000 different chemical components. The chemical formulas of fragrances are considered trade secrets and so may be listed on labels only as “fragrance.” HEALTH CONCERNS: Toxic solvents (VOCs) can cause everything from minor skin irritation to serious nervous system and other organ damage. Harsh acids can burn skin and cause eye, nose and throat irritation, respiratory irritation. Ammonia is a very volatile chemical and irritates and burns the skin. It is also very irritating to eyes, lungs and the respiratory system. Synthetic fragrances may cause a wide range of acute and chronic effects such as respiratory irritation, headache, sneezing, watery eyes, other allergic symptoms, sensitization, nervous system depression and skin irritation. Nitrobenzene may be used in making synthetic dyes. Benzene is a known human carcinogen. Naphthalene is a possible human carcinogen that has been linked to cancer in animal tests, and exposure to large amounts may damage or destroy red blood cells. Nitrobenzene can irritate eyes and skin at low exposure levels, and in larger amounts has damaged liver and blood in animals. TIPS & ALTERNATIVES: Make your own floor cleaner with ¼ cup natural liquid soap, ½ cup vinegar and 2 gallons hot water. Add essential oils for fragrance. For wood floors, substitute 1 tsp. glycerin for the vinegar. For very dirty floors or areas, replace the vinegar with washing soda, but note that washing soda will remove built up wax on floors. Back to Index of Terms