Lysol kills 99% of germs. We, as humans, are living organisms as well. Is it really safe for us?

Lysol makes a whole host of products but the classic Lysol most of us think of when we hear the name is the disinfectant spray. The goodguide.com gives it a personal safety rating of only 5 out of 10. *Please visit http://www.goodguide.com/about/ratings for a full rating explanation.

I find it interesting that in looking at a container in person there is no ingredients list on it at all so you have to do a little digging to find out what it is you are spraying and wiping all over your home and absorbing into your body.

What is Lysol made of? Lets look at the ingredients:

Ethyl Alcohol – Can cause developmental toxicity, gastrointestinal and liver toxicity, neurotoxicity, and skin toxicity.

Water – inert

Butane – Can cause cause neurotoxicty

Propane – Can cause cause neurotoxicty as well as respiratory

Ethanolamine – Undetermined

Fragrance – Unregulated, could literally be anything

Alkyl (C14, 50%; C12, 40%; C16, 10%)
Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride 1.520% – Undetermined

C16 – Undetermined

Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Saccharinate – Undetermined

MEA Borate – Undetermined

Mipa Borate – Undetermined

Ammonium Hydroxide – Can cause asthma

n-alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chlorides – Can cause immunotoxicity, respiratory toxicity, skin and organ toxicity, and can cause asthma. It has been restricted for use in cosmetics in both Canada and Japan.

Lysol is a VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) that has been shown to lower IQ in children developmentally. In a report by CBC Marketplace, Toxicologist Shawn Ellis, President of Building Health Center Inc, went to various peoples homes testing air quality in the rooms where their cleaning products were kept.

Lysol was the worst offender. Lysol Disinfectant Spray, which registered almost 1,200 parts per million (ppm), roughly 1,000 times higher than the Clorox Wipes and equal to 1,200 drops in an Olympic-size pool (VOC levels exceeding 500 ppb can lead to health risks for people with chemical sensitivities.). VOC levels over 500 ppb could be a problem for people with chemical sensitivities, according to the report.

Exposure during pregnancy is leading to children with lower IQ’s who have a hard time dealing with stress as well as social situations. Language and motor skills decrease. Lower scores are shown as well in memory, attention and verbal skills.

Dr Gideon Koren, a pediatrician at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and co-author of the study was quoted as saying “As one of the most advanced countries in the world, how can we allow these chemicals to enter our households without the appropriate testing to see that they’re safe?”

The good news is that there are safe alternatives on the market. Healthy Home Company makes a great Toxic Free Lysol alternative. It is called “Clean” and it most certainly lives up to its name.

Clean is made from organic, Ecocert, ToxicFree®, and natural ingredients that remove hard water and tough stains, yet is completely biodegradable and safe. It replaces over 10 products in your home, including the bathroom, laundry room and kitchen, effectively cutting through stubborn grease and more. Clean can replace dish soaps, laundry detergents, floor cleaning products and multipurpose cleaners for counters, windows, mirrors and furniture. It is anti-microbial and inhibits bacteria, mold and yeast growth.

The ingredients include: Camellia Sinensis (Pu-erh Black Tea) Leaf Extract*, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate (Palm Based), Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine (Coconut Based), Vegetable Glycerin**, Natural Fragrance (From Orange Rind, Lemon, Grapefruit & Other Plant / Wood Compounds), Gluconolactone (and) Sodium Benzoate**, Potassium Sorbate(1), Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus (High Oleic Sunflower Seed) Oil*. *Certified Organic **Ecocert (1)NOP – NSF Organic Compliant/Ecocert Compliant.

Far different from the chemical soup Lysol saturates your home and body in.

Scented like “Orange Zest”, it smells like a creamsicle and as it is toxic free its ok to inhale deeply and just enjoy.

To purchase Clean please visit www.toxicfreewellness.com and click on the Household tab.

References:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2011/10/25/most-toxic-cleaning-products.html

http://www.goodguide.com/about/ratings (explanation of ratings)
http://www.goodguide.com/products/294080-professional-lysol-disinfectant-spray-reviews-ratings (product info)
http://scorecard.goodguide.com/chemical-profiles/ (individual chemical profiles)
http://www.healthylivingmagazine.us/Articles/168/ – “CBC MARKETPLACE: Household Cleaners: If you can’t pronounce it, should you use it?” Reporter: Wendy Mesley; Producer: Gaelyne Leslie; Researcher: Louisa Jaslow Viewed at: . Lazlo-Baker, D, et al. 2004 Child neurodevelopmental outcome and maternal occupational exposure to solvents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med; 158:956-961. Till, C, et al. 2001 Prenatal exposure to organic solvents and child neurobehavioral performance. Neurotoxicol Teratol; 23(3):235-245.

http://toxicfreewellness.com/

Originally Published: http://www.hcbl.com/blog/is-lysol-toxic-to-humans/