Use The Loofa!
Ya know, I’ve often wondered why there’s a noticeable chemical smell days after cleaning the bathroom…
Grabbing a can of Scrubbing Bubbles and doing the most basic of searches on the active ingredients turns up the following results:
n-Alkyl: Suspected of cardiovasular or blood toxicants / Neurotoxicant
Benzyl Ammonium Chlorides: Suspected of Gastrointestinal or Liver Toxicant, Immunotoxicant, Neurotoxicant, Respiratory Toxicant, Skin of Sense Organ Toxicant
Hydrocarbon Propellant: Central nervous system depressants. It can also sensitize the heart to the arrhythmogenic effects of epinephrine.
Being the last one to spread FUD around, I have to mention that combined, n-Alkyl and BAC makes up a scant .22% of this product, which I’m guessing is harmless to humans when Scrubbing Bubbles is used as directed. Unless you’re sitting in a dark corner of your closet huffing these chemicals through an oil-stained paper bag, I’m sure this cleaning agent is safe to use.
yeah, it might be safe but it still stinks… So, I always choose sqweet smelling cleaners especially for the bath room – which doesn’t necessarily make them any safer…
Now, INAC (I’m not a chemist), but I tend to swing towards more natural cleaners whenever I can. You’re right in thinking that you never be too sure…
You want a natural cleaner? Get two spray bottles; fill one with vinegar and one with hydrogen peroxide; spray with vinegar first, then spray with hydrogen peroxide. Using that combination should leave the surface as clean as if you had bleached it, but without having to keep bottles of poisonous chemicals around your house.
Some other suggestions stolen from another site:
Baking Soda: Provides grit for scrubbing and reacts with water, vinegar or lemon by fizzing, which speeds up cleaning time.
Borax: Disinfects, bleaches and deodorizes; handy laundry mixture.
Distilled White Vinegar: Disinfects and breaks up dirt; choose white vinegar over apple cider or red vinegars as they may stain surfaces.
Hydrogen Peroxide: Disinfects and bleaches.
Lemons: Cut grease; bottled lemon juice also works well, although you might need to use a bit more to get the same results.
Olive Oil: Picks up dirt and polishes wood; cheaper grades work well.
Vegetable Based (liquid castile) Soap: Non-petroleum based soap should be handled with gloves due to caustic nature. Washing soda is usually found in the laundry aisle of grocery and drug stores.
Wow…thanks Shannon!