Pregnancy is a delicate stage for mothers. When pregnant, there are a lot of daily activities to engage in. What you do, touch, and breathe while pregnant matters a lot. Any toxic substance that you come across may potentially be harmful to you and the growing baby. Some house cleaning products contain chemicals that may harm a developing baby when used for a long time. Therefore when pregnant, it is advisable to stock up on safe cleaning products to make your cleaning experience easier and more enjoyable.
Luckily, many brands have come up with “green” cleaning products manufactured using natural, organic compounds instead of chemicals. Apart from these natural cleaning products, you can DIY your own all-purpose, all-natural cleaner to use at home. Here, we list some of the best house cleaning products to use while pregnant. We also guide you on the ingredients to watch out for and avoid when buying cleaning products.
Best All-Purpose Cleaner
ECOS All-Purpose Cleaner Orange Plus
ECOS is renowned as the first company ever to achieve the ‘trifecta’ of sustainable manufacturing. One of its eco-friendly products is the all-purpose cleaner. Other than removing dirt, it clears crayon marks and grime. It is made with pure essential oils and is biodegradable. It is glycol-, phosphate-, ammonia-, chlorine-, enzyme-, petroleum-, glycol ether-free.
Seventh Generation Free & Clear All-Purpose Cleaner
Seventh Generation All-Purpose Cleaner is a bio-based product not sold in concentrates. It does not have any fragrance or colour and looks more like water. It is especially ideal for people who are sensitive when using fragrant cleaners.
Best Dishwasher Detergent
Seventh Generation Fragrance-Free Dishwasher Detergent Packs
Seventh Generation Fragrance-free pods contain strong enzymes to remove grease and food stains on your dishes. It comes in a pack of two 45-count pods that are easy to use and resealable. This dishwasher detergent is free from fragrances, phosphates, dyes, and chlorine bleach.
Ecover Zero Dish Soap
Ecover offers this fragrance-free dish soap that is cruelty-free and gentle on the hands. The non-toxic and biodegradable cleaner has an EWG rating of an A. It also has 0% dyes, chlorine, or fragrance.
All-purpose spray cleaner
Seventh Generation Lemongrass Citrus Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner
Seventh Generation spray cleaner is an EPA-registered disinfectant that easily cleans and removes all grease and grime. It contains Thymol which is an essential oil from the thyme plant. Furthermore, this spray cleaner does not leave behind any streaks and does not need any further wiping and rinsing. For that sparkling look, you can use this multi-purpose cleaner to clean your cooktops, counters, and any other hard non-porous surfaces within your house.
Use this multi-purpose cleaner to also clean food contact surfaces like high chairs. As a bonus, Seventh Generation Multi-Surface Cleaner comes in a spray bottle made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic.
Lysol with Hydrogen Peroxide Multi-purpose Cleaner Spray
Lysol gives us this multi-purpose cleaner that eliminates 99.9% of viruses and bacteria. It is easier to use this cleaner as it is cruelty-free, and you only need to spray it on surfaces. The hydrogen peroxide formula will release microbubbles, which will work to dissolve soap scum and grease on your surfaces.
Best Toilet Bowl Cleaner
GO by Greenshield Organic Toilet Bowl Cleaner
GO by Greenshield Organic is a USDA Certified Organic Toilet Bowl Cleaner made from non-toxic ingredients. It is specially formulated to remove all the limescale and iron deposits from toilet bowls, leaving them sparkling clean. The toilet cleaner has superior cling action and leaves your toilet with a fresh pine smell.
Ecover Toilet-Bowl Cleaner
Ecover toilet bowl cleaner is a plant-based pine-scented cleaner. It removes tough odours, stains, and any calcification from the toilet bowl. This seven ingredients cleaner contains citric acid to remove the limescale, PH regulating sodium citrate, fragrance, thickener xanthan gum, water, petrochemical glyoxal, and lauryl glucoside as a surfactant. EWG gives this toilet cleaner a B rating.
Natural odour and Stain Remover
Biokleen Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover
Biokleen Bac-Out cleaner is the best natural odour and stain remover. It is a good cleaner to use on carpet and other upholstery or fabric. This cleaner uses live enzymes to break odours and remove stains from all kinds of textiles without bleaching or damaging the fabric. This eight-ingredient cleaner contains no ammonia, phosphates, or chlorine. It is mostly a plant-based cleaner with a preservative phenoxyethanol.
Vinegar-based natural cleaner
White House Lemon-Scent Cleaning Vinegar
Any good white vinegar is good for cleaning different surfaces. You can get this cleaner to clean the different surfaces within your house, including wood surfaces. If you do not have time to DIY your cleaner, you can get it from Amazon stores. This cleaner contains vinegar, water, and natural lemon. It also has a B rating from the EWG.
Drainage Cleaners
Citrus Enzymatic Drain Cleaning Sticks
This drainage cleaner from Ecozone is one of the innovative solutions to maintain your home drainage system. It will destroy soap scum and other matter that passes through your drainage system to prevent bad smells. All you have to do is drop one stick through your sink or bathroom plughole and let the natural enzymes get to work. Each packet of this Ecozone cleaner contains enough sticks to see you throughout the year.
Glass Cleaner
MRS. MEYER’S CLEAN DAY
Mrs Meyer’s clean day glass cleaner is more on the expensive side, but it is an all-natural cleaner. It is packed with quality essential oils that will surely make your surfaces smell beautiful after a good scrub
Best Wood Cleaner
Truce Wood Cleaner
Truce wood cleaner contains olive oil, natural vinegar, and essential oils. You are assured that it lacks alcohol, phthalate, chlorine, fragrance, and paraben.
Method Wood Polish Spray Cleaner
You can also keep your furniture in top condition using this plant-based polish. Use this spray cleaner to condition, moisturize and add shine to all the furniture in your house leaving behind a fresh almond scent. It is one of the eco-friendly products that can be used during pregnancy as it is made using glycerine and olive oil.
Best Cleaning Wipes
Babyganics All Purpose Surface Wipes
They are plant-based, fragrance-free wipes. Moreover, they are ideal for various surfaces around the house, including tables and countertops. They are ammonia, bleach, sulfate, and phthalate-free wipes.
Best Laundry Detergent
Attitude Sensitive Skin Natural Laundry Detergent
Attitude Sensitive Skin Natural Laundry Detergent is certified by the National Eczema Association. It is fragrance-free and has hypoallergenic ingredients. This is because it is so gentle on the skin and does not cause irritation.
Tide porcelain Liquid Laundry Detergent
Purclean liquid laundry detergent is an eco-friendly product that is also safe for use during pregnancy. It was a top performer in general house cleaning lab stain removal tests due to its 75% plant-based ingredients. The detergent has a translucent cap that makes it easier to measure portions and can be used in all water temperatures. Tide Purclean is free of optical brighteners, chlorine, and dyes. You can get this laundry detergent in honey lavender and other unscented versions at stores.
Best Shower Cleaner
Lemi Shine Shower + Tile Cleaner
It cleans up mould build-up and dirt smudges. It contains natural citric extracts and is made without artificial fillers or dyes. To use it, spray on the surface, wait for a minute, then wipe it off.
ANTIBAC Bathroom Cleaner
ANTIBAC is a plant-based bathroom cleaner with citric acid as the main ingredient. The key ingredient helps it cut through soap scum and hard water stains in your bathroom. ANTIBAC kills 99.9% of flu germs and bacteria on hard and non-porous surfaces. Therefore, using it on all bathroom surfaces like clogged showerheads, plastic toilet seats, and vinyl shower curtains is good. You are guaranteed a clean and crisp minty scent after using this cleaner in your shower.
Example of ingredients to avoid during pregnancy
Most chemical-based house cleaning products contain ingredients that can be harmful to a developing fetus. Hence, it is vital to be on the lookout for such ingredients. It will ensure the safety of the mother and the baby. Below are some of the ingredients included in cleaning products to steer clear of.
Aerosol and spray cleaners
Conducted studies suggest that any exposure to spray cleaners while pregnant increases the risk of suffering from asthma, pneumonia, or bronchitis. According to Dr. Gaither, when used in a closed non-ventilated room, aerosolized cleaning products can prove toxic when inhaled by a pregnant woman. The doctor further states that the compounds used in these sprays can aggravate the respiratory system and any underlying respiratory conditions.
Phthalates
Exposure increases the risk for congenital reproductive anomalies. According to Dr Kecia Gaither, a pregnant woman carrying a male fetus is at great risk when she comes in contact with this ingredient. So, it may be uncommon to find phthalates mentioned in cleaning products, but if “fragrance” is listed, there is a high probability the fragrance contains this ingredient.
Products that contain glycol ethers
House cleaning products that contain glycol ethers are possibly the most toxic substances a pregnant person can be exposed to. The ingredient has been associated with miscarriages, congenital disabilities, and decreased male fertility. You can also find a cleaning product listing these ingredients as EGBE (2-butoxyethanol) and DEGME (methoxydiglycol). You’ll find most oven cleaners contain this ingredient.
Paraben
The scientific community still debates whether parabens in cleaning products are harmless. The debate and concern come from the fact that parabens can act like estrogen in the body. Therefore, a pregnant woman can choose to use or not use cleaning products that contain this ingredient. It may also be listed as prophylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, isopropylparaben, or isobutylparaben.
Note:
The above ingredients are some of the most tested cleaning products among a list of many that pregnant women must avoid. Apart from these, there are also tips to adhere to during pregnancy.
Tips to consider when cleaning during pregnancy
- If you use cleaning products with fumes, don’t breathe in the fumes. Use them in a well-ventilated room and use an effective mask to cover your nose.
- Wear gloves when handling cleaning products and when cleaning the house. They protect you from exposure.
- Discontinue usage of any cleaning product that irritates your skin. Your body can tell if the product is suitable for you or not.
- Always make sure you are cleaning in a well-ventilated area. Keep the windows and door wide open.
- If possible, welcome a helping hand from others when cleaning.
- Never mix store-bought chemicals and cleaning products. Mixing them causes complex chemical reactions that may prove to be dangerous.
- You can make your own simple all-purpose, all-natural; cleaners using white vinegar, water, lemon, and baking soda. You can use such mixtures to clean your ovens, bathtubs, and other surfaces. Another amazing thing is that they cut extra costs.
Conclusion
Pregnancy is an exciting journey. It’s a dream of every mom to give birth to a healthy bouncing baby. However, some things can affect your unborn child, including the products you use. Even though cleaning is part of our life, you want to ensure you do everything right.
Environmental exposure to different chemicals is part of our everyday life. Therefore, you can not completely avoid all harmful products like the one listed above. There is no need to be worried as conducted research is still ongoing on just how harmful continuous exposure to chemical cleaning products is. All you can do is reduce regular exposure to these chemicals and find eco-friendly cleaning products like the ones listed above. You can also follow the tips mentioned above to help you and your baby.
Apart from this, you can hire the services of professional cleaners. Make it Clean Services offers different types of cleaning services, including domestic and commercial. Our company offers regular carpet and bond cleaning services to all our clients. Pregnant moms can hire us for our cleaning services as we use eco-friendly products. Get to learn more about us or contact us through our website at Make it clean
