Natural cleaning products are great, but 100% Certified Organic Cleaning Products are best. Organic products offer a completely environmentally safe alternative to the toxic and potentially lethal household cleaning products used in most homes today. Using 100% Certified Organic products is especially critical because all the cleaning products we use will eventually come into contact with our water systems, soil and air where they can cause significant and irreparable harm to animals, plants, drinking water, and food supplies. Products that claim to be "All Natural" still have the risk of adding chemicals into our earth as there is no guarantee that chemicals weren't used to grow the "natural" ingredients.

The average North American household uses roughly 40 pounds of toxic cleaning products every year. Many of these cleaning products contain dangerous ingredients, including carcinogens, allergens, central nervous system depressants, heavy metals, neurotoxins and other agents that cause or contribute to cancer, respiratory problems, reproductive abnormalities, allergic reactions, and behavioral problems, among other issues. These potentially deadly ingredients will make their way into our environment through a variety of different routes: they are flushed down toilets, poured down sinks, sprayed into the air, washed & drained into our water systems, and thrown in the garbage. It is a fact that most of these hazardous cleaning products are thrown in landfills or incinerated and after time they release their toxins into our environment, contributing to depletion of the ozone layer, polluting groundwater, contaminating soil, and harming plants and animal life.

If you still think you can use your regular cleaning products, please read the examples below and become a promoter of 100% Certified Organic Products.

    •    Phosphates, found in dishwasher and laundry detergents, cause algae bloom, which kills fish and aquatic plants, and produces chemicals that are toxic to animals and people who drink the water.

    •    Chlorine bleach is found in many products or can be used on it's own. It is toxic to fish and can bind with organic compounds in water to form organochlorines, which break down slowly in the environment and accumulate in the fatty tissues of wildlife. Chlorine is especially toxic to organisms that live in water and soil.

    •    Formaldehyde, an ingredient in furniture polish and various cleaning products, is a potential human carcinogen and a known cancer-causing agent in animals.

    •    Phthalates, which are now banned in many products, disrupt hormone function and can cause genetic defects in both animals and humans. DO NOT use any products with Phthalates around your children!

    •    Sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide, in drain cleaners, can change the pH of water and cause fish kills.

Organic cleaning products can and should be substituted for most of the toxic cleaners on the market today. You can start by going to LoveMyMat.com to learn about our 100% Certified Organic Yoga Mat Cleanser which can be used to disinfect countertops, as an organic alternative to Febreze or deodorizing your baby's room safely. Visit www.LoveMyMat.com