Cleaning Supplies and Household Chemicals

Article Source: http://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/indoor/indoor-air-pollutants/cleaning-supplies-household-chem.html

Cleaning is essential to protecting our health in our homes, schools and workplaces. However, household and cleaning products—including soaps, polishes and grooming supplies—often include harmful chemicals. Even products advertised as "green" or "natural" may contain ingredients that can cause health problems. Some cleaning supplies can be flammable or corrosive. Fortunately, you can limit your exposure to those risks.

How can cleaning supplies, household products affect health?

Many cleaning supplies or household products can irritate the eyes or the throat or cause headaches or other health problems. Some products release dangerous chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Other harmful ingredients include ammonia and bleach. Even natural fragrances such as citrus can react to produce dangerous pollutants indoors.

VOCs and other chemicals released when using cleaning supplies contribute to chronic respiratory problems, allergic reactions and headaches. Studies are underway to assess how these chemicals affect people who have asthma and other respiratory illnesses. ¹ However, past studies link exposure to chemicals from cleaning supplies to occupational asthma and other respiratory illnesses.^2,3

Products containing VOCs and other toxic substances can include:

• Aerosol spray products, including health, beauty and cleaning products;
• Air fresheners;
• Chlorine bleach;
• Detergent and dishwashing liquid;
• Dry cleaning chemicals;
• Rug and upholstery cleaners;
• Furniture and floor polish; and
• Oven cleaners.^{1, 2}

Never mix bleach or any bleach-containing product with any cleaner containing ammonia. The gases created from this combination can lead to chronic breathing problems and even death.² Read all labels and follow instructions when using cleaning products. It could save your life.

Recent research has found that even natural fragrances in cleaning products, particularly in air fresheners, may react with high levels of ozone from indoor sources, like some air cleaning devices, or from outdoor air to form formaldehyde and dangerous fine particles indoors.^{5, 6} Ozone is a harmful, but invisible, gas that worsens asthma and other lung diseases. Particles are also common air pollutants that can worsen asthma and other lung diseases and risk heart attacks and stroke. Both ozone and particles can be life-threatening. Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen.

How can you prevent harm from cleaning and household products?

Read all labels on cleaning supplies and household products before you buy them. Choose products that do not contain or have reduced amounts of VOCs, fragrances, irritants and flammable ingredients. Manufacturers are not obligated by U.S. law to list all ingredients in consumer products. ⁴ Products that are labeled "green" do not necessarily mean they are safer. Avoid using air fresheners.

As a safer cleaning alternative, warm water and soap often will do the trick, especially at home. Baking soda is good for scrubbing. A mix of vinegar and water can clean glass.

When using cleaning or household products, keep the area well ventilated. Open windows and doors. Never use cleaning products in a small, enclosed space.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a list of products that meet its Safer Choice requirements for cleaning and other needs. They include cleaning products for home and vehicles.

How To Cleanup A Crime Scene

Who Cleans Up After a Violent Crime

Unfortunately, after a murder or other serious violent crime, the police and investigators do not have a special unit that comes in to clean up the scene.  While some departments may work closely with crime scene cleaning services and may be able to offer referrals, the responsibility of cleaning the crime scene falls to the property owner.

Many crimes that later require cleaning happen in the home, which leaves the task of cleaning all too often to the victim’s next of kin.  However, if the crime happens in a rental home, place of business, or the like, responsibility falls to the property owner.  Likewise, if the crime has taken place on public property, the state or local entity who maintains the property is responsible.

The Right Tools to Clean Up a Crime Scene

It is not generally suggested that the task of cleaning up the scene of a violent crime be attempted by an amateur.  Bodily fluid is considered a hazardous material, and thus requires special equipment, methods, and disposal in order to protect both the person doing the cleaning and the general public.

Equipment that is usually used by professionals to clean up a crime scene includes:

• PPE – Personal protective equipment, or PPE, used by crime scene cleaners include disposable, non-porous gloves, chemical spill boots, filtered respirators, and a protective suit.  Most of this equipment is deemed one-time-use and is immediately discarded after the job in special hazardous waste containers.

• Biohazard Disposal Containers – There are both solid plastic containers and heavy-duty hazmat bags that can be sealed safely to contain health hazards.

• Cleaning Supplies – Traditional mops, buckets, sponges, cleaning cloths, etc.  Cleaning supplies must also be disposed of after use.

• Disinfectant Solutions – Such as bleach and peroxide.

• Industrial Strength Deodorizers – Come in many different types and may be used in a fogger machine.  Ozone machines are often used to assist in deodorization of the area.

• Solvents – Enzyme solvents help to disinfect and re-liquefy dried blood.

• Shovels – To shovel coagulated bodily fluids into bags.

• Putty Knives – Putty knives are often necessary to remove organic matter from hard surfaces.

• Razor Blades or Box Cutters – Saturated carpeting or upholstery must be cut away and removed, it cannot be effectively cleaned.

• Ladders & Long Reach Cleaning Brushes – To reach high walls and ceilings.

Professional crime scene cleaners also often use a camera for before-and-after shots for insurance purposes.  And though it isn’t necessarily on-the-job equipment, professional cleaners are normally required to maintain up-to-date vaccination against harmful infections like hepatitis-B.

Step-By-Step Crime Scene Cleanup Guide

If you wish to face the psychological and general health risks associated with crime-scene cleanup, you should first speak to the insurance agency that covers the property to find out if there are any special considerations they wish you to take.

Furthermore, you should also speak to your doctor to receive any necessary vaccines and advice on further methods of protecting yourself.  And, of course, you should check with your local police department to ensure that their investigations are complete and you are free to clean the site.

• Protect Yourself – You will need several pairs of heavy cleaning gloves, shoe coverings, masks, and a pair of goggles.  If you cannot get full respiration equipment, a good dust mask is better than nothing at all.

• Dispose Of Everything Necessary – Some items, such as metal and other non-porous materials can be disinfected, but wood or upholstered furniture, carpeting, and effective electronics will likely need to be broken or cut down and thrown away.

• Disinfect Everything Else – Remove any other objects from the scene AFTER they have been properly cleaned and disinfected to avoid spreading possible infectious diseases.

• Check The Scene Carefully – Look carefully to identify all areas affected by bodily fluid or organic matter.

• Work From The Top Down – Start with the ceiling (if necessary), then work your way down the walls to the floor.  This way there is less chance of re-contaminating already cleaned areas.

• Scrape Dried Material – Use putty knives or shovels to scrape the majority of material to be removed (if necessary).  Dispose of items afterward.

• Scrub – Use traditional cleaning instruments (mops, brushes, rags, scratch-pads, etc.) and heavy-duty or industrial strength cleaning chemicals to clean the affected areas.  Be thorough, the area should appear to be clean before you move on from this step.  Dispose of cleaning instruments in approved biohazard containers.

• Disinfect – Use bleach and hydrogen peroxide to re-clean areas and kill any bacteria and viruses that may still be present.  Use fresh cleaning instruments, and remember to read all of your cleaning chemical labels to insure there will be no dangerous interactions.

• Deodorize – Ventilate the area and apply industrial strength deodorizers as necessary.

• Dispose – Take all of your waste bags and containers to the proper biohazard disposal site in your area.

After the area is properly cleaned, you can move items back in and make any structural repairs necessary.

Call in the Professionals

I will say again that it is not recommended to clean up a violent crime scene on your own.  There are many professional services that can get the job done quickly, inexpensively, and most importantly, safely.

In Georgia, contact Bio-One, the leader in crime scene and hazardous waste cleanup.  Don’t risk your health and safety going at it alone.  Contact Bio-One today.