Keeping Pets from Household Chemicals

By Cindy Nelson
Photos by Krystal Reed

My husband, 7NEWS Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson, and I have been aware of the dangers of household toxins for at least two decades after I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer induced by the chemicals in cleaning products. At first, it was hard to find a safer, effective and cost-effective line of products, but about 13 years ago we found one, allowing us to protect our family"”pets included"”from toxins in everyday products.

It is so important to adjust your attitude about chemicals that you clean with. Your pet doesn't have to ability to tell you that the floor cleaner hurts their throat or that their paws burn. Think of it this way; everything you use in your home will eventually fall to the floor, where your furry family member lives!

Over the last two decades of our discovery, Mike and I have learned a lot of information about the chemicals in cleaning products. Labels can be deceptive and because something is on grocery store shelves, it is not automatically safe. The dishwasher product Palmolive Eco+â„¢ is well-packaged and looks "green;" however, it contains Chlorine Bleach, a chemical that is cheap for companies, but extremely harmful, especially to pets and children.

Pets have a faster respiratory rate than people and Chlorine is a toxic respiratory irritant that can damage their skin, eyes or other membranes. Chlorine can be found in all-purpose cleaners, automatic dishwashing detergents, tile scrubs, disinfecting wipes, toilet-bowl cleaners, laundry detergents and mildew removers"”it is heavier than air and lands in low-lying areas where pets live. Because your pets are smaller and breathe faster than adults, they are even more vulnerable than children to toxic exposure.

Chlorine Bleach is only one chemical that is often used in the home that can cause health problems. Formaldehyde is another major contributor to indoor air pollution that will affect your pets, and it is in many products you have under your sink. Many dishwashing detergents you'd find in a store have some of the highest amounts of formaldehyde allowed by law, because the chemical makes dishes shiny. Yet, when you wash your pet's dish, the chemical coats the bowl that your pet will later be drinking or eating from. There are more than 30 trademarked names for formaldehyde including: Morbicid or Quanternium 15 (found in some popular shampoos). According to the Environmental Protection Agency, formaldehyde has also been shown to cause cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans. But it is often used because it is a cheap surfactant and preservative.

So why doesn't the government protect us?

In 1960, the Consumer Product Safety Commission passed the Federal Hazardous Substances Labeling Act. According to this law, product labels need only warn consumers about any immediate dangers that may occur in the event a product is misused.

Companies are only required to list the "active" ingredient: the ingredient that actually makes the product "do" what it says it will do (i.e. glass cleaner only must tell you the ingredient that makes the glass clean). "Inert" ingredients, elements that are not directly responsible for making the product work, such as chemical fragrances and preservatives"”do not have to be listed. It also explains why there are so many registered names for any one chemical.

"Thousands of cats and dogs needlessly suffer and many die each year by accidental ingestion of household poisons," according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ®.

If you're not convinced that toxins are hurting your pets and household, consider this:

"¢ According to the National Research Council, no toxic information is available for more than 80 percent of the chemicals in everyday-use products.

"¢ Only 1 percent of toxins are required to be listed in labels because companies classify their formulas as "trade secrets" (Lorie Dwornick, researcher, educator and activist, 2002).

"¢ According to the American Lung Association, a toxic chemical can be absorbed by ingesting, smelling, touching or even touching a surface where it has been used.

"¢ In 29 years the EPA has formally requested health information on only 200 chemicals"”out of about 80,000.

"¢ The EPA has not banned any existing industrial chemical since 1989. Since then the agency has relied mostly on voluntary efforts by chemical companies that make household products, as well as personal care and cosmetic companies.

"¢ The EPA also has stated that the vast majority of cleaner chemicals have yet to be tested for safety.

"¢ The National Center for Health Sciences says "... perhaps the most serious exposure is to modern household cleaners, which may contain a number of proven and suspect causes of cancer."

"¢ More than 90 percent of all reported poisonings in America occur at home from accidents with household cleaners. So, if you know you can find safer, less-expensive products that will be kinder to your pets and the environment, why wouldn't you switch stores and purchase these kinds of products?

In our home we use products from Melaleuca, The Wellness Companyâ„¢ and our pugs, Tinq, Torq and Tilly are healthier for it"”and so are we. Feel free to contact me by visiting my Web site: www.cnelson.whywellness.com. Remember; anything can be toxic if misused"”even water. Make good choices for your furry family members.