Ariel, Frosch & Co. How harmful are cleaning products in the household for children?
Chemical cleaning agents can harm children in the long term.
"Don't worry, you don't have to study chemistry, but you should become aware of the relevance."
What happens when the ingredients from detergents and cleaning agents enter our bodies and those of our children daily through the respiratory tract and the skin and mucous membranes?
"Not only in private households, but also kindergartens and schools use tons of chemical cleaning agents. However, experts warn: these are harmful to the health of children in the long term. An alternative is natural bioactive cleaners, which clean just as thoroughly as conventional cleaners, but without phosphates, optical brighteners, chlorine, and solvents."
"At the latest, when a newborn comes home, parents begin to reconsider certain behaviors. They pay attention to a healthier diet, a safe environment, and should therefore also reconsider the use of cleaning agents."
Crawling children feel at home on the floor.
Rolling, sliding, crawling, and scooting, as babies and toddlers become mobile, they conquer their world piece by piece. It doesn't take long before the home floor turns into a playground. For parents, this means that a new level of safety and hygiene has been reached.
"By now, child safety must also be considered. From stair gates to socket covers to rounded edges and window locks, parents can make their home a safe environment for their little ones from the very beginning with many useful products. However, very few have hygiene on their radar."
Parents often tend to keep their floors germ-free with all sorts of means, including toys. However, experts agree: the floor does not need to be clinically clean for crawling children. A certain amount of harmless everyday bacteria is actually good for the little ones, as it strengthens their immune system and helps them develop defenses.
"Constant cleaning is not necessary, especially not with aggressive chemical cleaning agents. However, a certain level of basic hygiene is always advisable in a household with small children."
Practical tips for orientation
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Take off street shoes when entering the apartment.
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Regularly vacuum, preferably with a dirt filter system.
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"Avoid chemicals in cleaning products."
In households with small children, aggressive chemicals should never be used for cleaning. They contain substances that can irritate the skin, respiratory tract, and mucous membranes sensitively. Chemical-based antibacterial cleaners also kill many harmless germs and bacteria that small children should come into contact with.
Alternatives are available
There are sustainable alternatives to the usual cleaning products that no longer lag behind the chemical competition in terms of effectiveness.
Families should rely on as natural cleaning aids as possible. There are many cleaning products available on the market that are based on natural ingredients and clean particularly gently. But the tried-and-true household remedies from grandmother's cleaning cupboard are also well-suited. Household vinegar and citric acid in the cleaning water clean thoroughly while being gentle and completely free of harmful substances.
INFOBOX:
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) advise citizens to refrain from using biocide-containing cleaners, as their residues often persist on all surfaces for a long time – and for good reasons: it is known, for example, that cleaning staff who are frequently exposed to such cleaning agents have a significantly increased risk of developing skin eczema or asthma.
Further information:
https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/chemikalien/wasch-reinigungsmittel
https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/sites/default/files/2018-10/chemie_im_haushalt.pdf