Products that are dangerous during pregnancy

Pregnant women should pay close attention to household cleaning products because the baby growing inside your womb is vulnerable to toxic household products. Certain chemicals can have adverse effects on the developing fetus, especially at a time when the baby’s organs are still developing.

Here are some cleaning products to consider if you are expecting a baby:

1. Bathroom cleaners. Cleaners used to whiten and disinfect toilet bowls and bathroom floors contain corrosive ingredients that can irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs. Stay away from cleaners with bleach, sodium hydroxide, or phosphoric acid. Pregnant women, especially those who may be suffering from asthma, should definitely avoid these substances because they can trigger breathing problems. Instead, try natural scrubbers like baking soda and vinegar.

2. All-purpose cleaners. Unsurprisingly, housewives like to use products that can perform a multitude of tasks, so why not? Especially for pregnant women, every little convenience is welcome, and who wants to lug around a box of cleaning supplies every time you struggle to tidy up the house?

The bad news is that these all-purpose cleaners can contain agents like triethanolamine and diethanolamine, which are used to create that soapy suds. When these chemicals react with pollutants like nitrites, they often lead to the formation of cancer-causing agents; These are definitely not things you want around you when you still have a baby developing in your tummy.

3. Window cleaner. Keeping those windows squeaky clean can be a challenge. Those spots just don’t stay away for long, do they?

Glass cleaners can make the tedious and repetitive task of cleaning glass less painful, but using them during pregnancy can compromise the health of your baby. Some glass cleaners have butyl cellosolve, which has been found to damage nerves. The lungs and airways are also in serious danger with the continued use of ammonia-based window cleaners, as they tend to release toxic fumes.

Worse still, window cleaners also often contain glycol ethers which have been found to cause low birth weight in experiments on mice.

So what do you do if you’re pregnant and still want to keep your glass and mirrors sparkling and streak-free? Try a mixture of water, vinegar, and a dash of liquid soap, initially. Liquid soap will remove the film of wax that conventional cleaners leave on the surface of your glass. After using this mixture a few times, you can skip the liquid soap; just vinegar and water should work fine.

4. Disinfectants. It is quite understandable that pregnant women need a clean environment. However, the goal of a germ-free home is not always easy. Cleaning agents with antibacterial properties contain hormone disruptors such as alkylphenol ethoxylates, which have been found to disrupt embryonic development in fish and frogs.

Products with these chemicals also pose a threat to the environment, polluting rivers and endangering wildlife. If you want to keep things germ-free, try products with tea tree oil or acapulco extract.

5. Air fresheners. First, air fresheners can make morning sickness symptoms worse. Then they often contain phthalates, which are linked to adverse effects in boys and trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. Lastly, aerosol propellants are often made from propane and butane, which are highly flammable and increase the risk of fire.