Pregnant women should pay close attention to the cleaning agents they use at home because the baby growing inside their uterus is vulnerable to toxic household products. Certain chemicals can have adverse effects on the development of the fetus, especially at a time when the baby’s organs are still in the developing stage.
Here are some cleaning products to pay attention to if you are expecting a baby:
1. Bathroom cleaners. Cleaners used to whiten and disinfect toilets and bathroom floors contain corrosive ingredients that can irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs. Stay away from cleaners with bleach, sodium hydroxide, or phosphoric acid. Pregnant women, especially those who may be suffering from asthma, should definitely avoid these substances because they can trigger respiratory problems. Instead, try natural scrubbers like baking soda and vinegar.
2. All-purpose cleaners. Unsurprisingly, homemakers like to use products that can perform a multitude of tasks, and why not? Especially for pregnant women, all the comforts are welcome, and who wants to lug around a box of cleaners every time they struggle to tidy up the house?
The bad news is that these all-purpose cleaners can contain agents like triethanolamine and diethanolamine, which are used to create those sudsy suds. When these chemicals react with pollutants like nitrites, they often lead to the formation of cancer-causing agents; they are definitely not things you want to have around you when you still have a developing baby in your stomach.
3. Window cleaner. Keeping those windows spotlessly clean can be a challenge. Those stains don’t stay away for long, right?
Glass cleaners can make the tedious and repetitive task of cleaning glass less painful, but using them during pregnancy can compromise your baby’s health. Some glass cleaners contain butyl cellosolve, which has been found to damage the nerves. The lungs and airways are also in serious danger from the continued use of ammonia-based window cleaners, as they tend to release toxic gases.
Worse, glass cleaners also often contain glycol ethers, which have been found to cause low birth weight in mouse experiments.
So what should you do if you are pregnant and still want to keep your glasses and mirrors shiny and streak-free? Try a mixture of water, vinegar, and a dash of liquid soap, initially. Liquid soap will remove the wax film left by conventional cleaners on the surface of your glass. After using this mixture several times, you can omit the liquid soap; just vinegar and water should work fine.
4. Disinfectants. It is quite understandable that pregnant women need a clean environment. However, the goal of a germ-free home is not always easy. Cleaning agents with antibacterial properties contain hormone disruptors such as alkylphenol ethoxylates, which have been found to disrupt embryonic development in fish and frogs.
Products containing these chemicals also pose a threat to the environment, polluting rivers and endangering wildlife. If you want to keep things germ-free, try products with tea tree oil or acapulco extract.
5. Air fresheners. First, air fresheners can make morning sickness symptoms worse. Then they often contain phthalates, which are linked to adverse effects in boys and trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. Lastly, aerosol propellants are typically made from propane and butane, which are highly flammable and increase the risk of fire.