Chemicals of concern that have been linked to health effects including allergies, asthma, cancer, and reproductive harm can hide in everyday products. We think you should be able to read all ingredients right on the label to ensure that you pick and choose what you bring into your home. Not all products disclose all ingredients right on the labels, but when you are able to find ingredient lists on labels or online, here's what to look out for.
| Ingredient & Pronunciation |
Products Used In |
Known Health Effects |
|---|---|---|
|
Artifical Brighteners |
Laundry detergents |
Phototoxic and aquatically toxic |
|
Alkylphenol Ethoxylates (APEs) |
Cleaning products |
Linked to asthma |
|
Quaternary ammonium compounds |
Cleaning products |
Linked to asthma |
|
Glutaraldehyde |
Cleaning products |
Linked to cancer and/or reproductive harm |
|
Phthalates |
Can be an ingredient under the term “fragrance” in household products |
Linked to cancer and/or reproductive harm |
|
Styrene |
Cleaning products |
Linked to cancer and/or reproductive harm |
|
Synthetic musks |
Cleaning products |
Linked to cancer and/or reproductive harm |
|
Trichloroethylene |
Cleaning products |
Linked to cancer and/or reproductive harm |
|
Ethylbenzene |
Cleaning products |
Linked to cancer and/or reproductive harm |
|
Petroleum distillates |
Cleaning products |
Linked to cancer and/or reproductive harm |
|
2-butoxyethanol |
Cleaning products |
Linked to cancer and/or reproductive harm |
|
Thiourea |
Cleaning products |
Linked to cancer and/or reproductive harm |
There are currently no US regulations in place for the ingredient labeling of household cleaning products.
Here's what you need to know.