Buying Guide - Bathroom Surface Cleaners

From The Green Guide

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What To Look For

Ingredients

Although manufacturers aren't required to disclose cleaning product ingredients, avoid products containing the worst offenders, and choose those made with plant-based, instead of petroleum-based, ingredients. The cleaners above are generally safer than conventional cleaners, but some may contain the following irritating ingredients and should be handled with care:

Citric acid: Derived from citrus fruits, citric acid is used as a preservative and is considered safe, except for in extremely large doses. High concentration of fumes and of dust particles containing citric acid can irritate the nose and throat, and contact can irritate eyes.

Ethanol: Ethanol is a type of alcohol made from plants, usually corn. Because it is a volatile solvent, it can irritate eyes, skin and respiratory tracts.

Sodium Carbonate (washing soda): The grainy texture of washing soda cuts through grease and removes wax. Washing soda also acts as a deodorizer. Due to its caustic nature, always wear gloves when handling products with washing soda.

Surfactants: Surfactants lower water surface tension, enabling cleaning chemicals to spread and penetrate more easily. Some surfactants are safer than others, such as alklyl polyglycoside which is made from cornstarch and a plant fatty alcohol. On the other hand, linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) is derived from the non-renewable petroleum byproducts benzene (which the EPA has classified as a human carcinogen) and paraffin. Sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) and sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a probable human carcinogen, which may also be present in vegetable-derived alcohol ethoxylate surfactants. Although the FDA monitors products for dioxane, they haven't recommended an exposure limit. Manufacturers can remove dioxane through a process called vacuum stripping, but a small amount usually remains. Even though we recommend avoiding SLS and SLES in personal care products, finding a cleaner without it can be difficult.

Manufacturers usually don't disclose the type of surfactant used, instead using vague terms such as "nonionic surfactant" (which includes alcohol ethoxylates), "anionic surfactant" (which includes SLS, SLES or LAS) or "wetting agent."