Daniel Marsula, Post-Gazette Click illustration for larger version. 3 words on warnings Jeffrey Hollender, author of the book "Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-Toxic Cleaning," explains that there are three categories of "regulated precautionary statements" on labels: Caution: More than one ounce must be ingested before life-threatening symptoms will occur. Warning: One teaspoon to 1 ounce can be life-threatening if ingested. Danger: A few drops to one teaspoon can be life-threatening if ingested. Many labels don't list all ingredients but use such terms as "inert ingredients." Hollender's book states that "the EPA allows more than 1,400 chemicals to be classified as inert, and 40 are known carcinogens and/or neurotoxins."

You decide to give the house a thorough cleaning. Armed with cash and a fistful of determination, you purchase an array of cleaners that promise to disinfect and sparkle every nook and cranny in your home.

Halfway through scrubbing that bathtub ring, you're tired, your eyes and nose burn, you feel light-headed and you're thinking "Maybe the bathtub ring isn't that bad after all."

If you chose many cleaners on the market today, chances are, you would have been better off living with the soap scum.

Sounds crazy? When was the last time you read a label on one of those products? Do you really know what methylene chloride is? And why is the word "DANGER" in such big type on the can?

Thanks to the high use of chemical cleaners and other products, it's often safer to be outside rather than inside your home.

A 2003 study of air and dust samples taken from 120 Massachusetts homes found potentially harmful levels of cancer-causing and human reproduction-disrupting chemicals. These came from window cleaners, laundry detergents, cleaners, spot removers, hair dyes, nail polishes, plastics, electronics and flame retardant carpeting and furniture.

In-home contaminants are significant contributors to people's overall exposure because folks in the United States spend 65 percent of their time in residences.

And women are more likely to be affected because they typically spend more time inside the home and work more closely with potentially toxic cleaners and personal care products, according to the study conducted by environmental health researchers at Harvard University.

Devra Lee Davis, director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Center Institute, echoes these concerns.

	Out With the Bad: Getting Rid of Toxicity Ten simple ways to reduce the toxicity levels in your home: 1. Get houseplants: Boston ferns, spider plants, lady palm and Areca palms are all great at removing volatile organic compounds and other gaseous substances from the air. 2. Switch to natural indoor air fresheners: The synthetic fragrances in air fresheners can aggravate and/or trigger asthma. Most of them mask odors instead of removing them. Deodorize furniture and carpets with a sprinkling of baking soda and then vacuum. Use a drop of pure essential oil on a light bulb warmer to scent the home. 3. Open the windows: Fresh air can do wonders in clearing out toxins. 4. Automatic dishwashing detergent: Use only chlorine- and phosphate-free detergents. The heat of the dishwasher can release a chlorine vapor into your home if it is opened during the appliance's operation. 5. Vacuum cleaner: Switch to HEPA-style bags that remove microscopic particles from carpets and upholstery. 6. Use a quality filter in your heating/air unit: Most of the major manufacturers produce electrostatically charged filters that clean mold spores, pet dander and dust out of the air. This cuts down on the overall dust levels in your home. 7. Mix your own: Many common cleaners can be made with vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and common hydrogen peroxide. Visit the Internet or your local bookstore for resources, Some popular Web sites are www.armhammer.com and www.ecomall.com. 8. Clean up your laundry: Switch from chlorine bleach to oxygen-based bleach. 9. Cut down on disinfectants: Some experts believe they are grossly overused in society. You can purchase or make nontoxic cleaners that are just as effective. 10. Use doormats: This will keep dirt and pollutants from coming inside. Sources: "Naturally Clean," by Jeffrey Hollender and Geoff Davis, with Meika Hollender and Reed Doyle; www.ecomall.com; www.environmentaloncology.org.

"When cleaning bathrooms and other small spaces, products are used in excess. Chemical residues combine with the heat in the bathroom and create toxic vapors that can be inhaled," she said.

Dr. Davis points out that the connection between these chemicals and factory and farm workers has already shown an increase in certain cancers. It is harder to show the connection in the home, but the rise in some cancers is troublesome. In fact, two-thirds of all cancers have an environmental cause, according to the National Cancer Institute.

"We already have an increase in esophageal and liver cancer in older people. We can't prove that it is one chemical, but the synergistic risk of these chemical interactions in the body over a lifetime is troublesome."

Dr. Davis said that these chemicals are even more problematic for small children. "Children live and breathe at the tailpipe. They are closer to these toxins at the floor level. Their bodies are developing and not equipped to deal with these toxins."

Fortunately, there's a growing array of nontoxic cleaning products being introduced to the market.

You can even go back to your grandmother's cupboard and mix your own. Household items such as baking soda, white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and essential oils can be mixed in different proportions with water to clean and disinfect your entire house.

Jeffrey Hollender, the founder of the Seventh Generation line of environmentally friendly household products, has written a new book, "Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-Toxic Cleaning." (The book has been endorsed by Dr. Davis).

He discusses the dangers of these chemicals and provides tips for green cleaning.

"In the United States, federal agencies allow manufacturers to regulate themselves, they don't react until consumers report a problem," Mr. Hollander explained in an interview. "By then, it's too late, the damage has been done.

"In Europe, manufacturers must prove their products are safe and precautionary statements are evaluated by a third party before they are allowed to be sold with a government- assigned warning label."

Most of these chemicals are classified as volatile organic compounds (VOC) -- carbon-based chemicals that can form vapors in the air. Health experts are studying the relationships between these compounds and the increase in many medical conditions, including the explosive rise in the allergy and asthma rate among children.

When asked about the new movement of "free and clear" products for those with allergy problems, he points out that "some of them have a 'masking agent' that prevents you from actually smelling the chemicals in the bottle. It is hard to formulate any product that has no scent. Furthermore, some companies differentiate fragrances and perfumes, so it may be free from one and not the other."

His best advice in a nutshell? "Look at the precautionary statements [on cleaning products]. If it says anything other than "Caution," do not buy it. It is really bad for you."

So, can these environmentally friendly cleaners really do the job of heavy chemicals?

	Where to get nontoxic cleaners Here is a sampling of companies that offer nontoxic cleaning products: Seventh Generation. Cleaners and environmentally friendly household products. Available at most major grocery stores. www. seventhgeneration.com. Mrs. Meyers Clean Day. Aromatherapeutic household cleaners. Available at most major grocery stores. www.mrsmeyers.com. Ecover Household cleaners. Available at Whole Foods. www.ecover.com. Restore Household cleaners. www.restore.com. Sun & Earth. Household cleaners. Whole Foods, www.sunandearth.com. 365 Everyday. Whole Foods house brand, basic cleaners. Method. Household cleaners. Grocery stores, Target, www.methodhome.com. Our House/EnvirOx. Hydrogen peroxide-based cleaning system. www.ourhouseworks.com.   To learn more about household products and their possible effect on your health, visit environmentaloncology.org

The answer is yes. You might find that there may be a little less "shine" because eco-cleaners don't use acrylic polymers. Also, if your home is really dirty, you might need a little extra elbow-grease, but in most cases, you can spray and let them sit on the offending area to do their work. The trade-off and the extra cost of these products are worth it.

Recently, I went to Whole Foods to purchase a number of these "eco-cleaners" and put them to the test. First, I was surprised that the cost on most of these items were comparable to their chemical counterparts. The Mrs. Meyers Clean Day line was definitely more expensive, but the product is infused with essential oils to scent your home and that drives up the price. When using the product, I found that I didn't need as much to accomplish the task.

My evening was spent cleaning outside windows (Seventh Generation $4.69 a bottle); cleaning two bathrooms (one with Ecover All-Purpose cleaner, $3.19 for 32 ounces, use two capfuls in a bucket of water; and Mrs. Meyers Countertop Spray $4.99 for 16 ounces, Seventh Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner, $4.69); tile floors (Ecover All-Purpose); muddy laundry stains (Seventh Generation, $5.99 for a 50-ounce bottle and Ecover Stain Stick $2.49). I didn't have any sponges that had not been used with regular cleaners, and so I used paper towels (really) and a mop-- no scrubber, and no rubber gloves.

The cleaners cut through sticky hair spray, grease spots and pet spills. My house was clean, my hands looked great and thanks to the essential oils in the Mrs. Meyers, my home smelled like real fresh-cut geraniums.

All proceeds from "Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-Toxic Cleaning," will be donated to the Children's Health Environmental Coalition.