1. Not all cleaning products that claim to be "natural," "non-toxic" or "green" are. The word "natural" is undefined and unregulated by the government and can be applied to just about anything under the sun -- including plastic, which comes from naturally occurring petroleum. Because cleaning product labeling is not yet regulated by the government, claims such as "eco-safe" and "environmentally friendly" may not be true.

2. optionsforlife Industrial & Institutional cleaning products are Green Seal Certified. Green Seal is a non-profit organization that works with government, industry and environmental stakeholders to set environmental standards for products and services.

3. Not all "green" or non-toxic cleaners are equal! Many people have two complaints about true "green" cleaners: 1. they often don't clean very well; and 2. they are expensive. optionsforlife household cleaning products are as strong as our industrial and institutional cleaners. And, that is as strong as naturally-derived cleaners can be. When used properly, they clean as well as their "toxic" cleaner counterpart 95% of the time. Plus, our products are the least expensive "true" green products on the market. We want to mainstream the use of non-toxic products, so we keep the price as reasonable as possible.

Other tips and facts ...

Some cleaning products contain ingredients banned in 8 countries!

One of the main active ingredients in many household cleaning products is a surfactant. A surfactant makes water wetter. Wetter water spreads across and wets surfaces better, to make cleaning easier.

For decades, common surfactants have been derived from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. One of these is nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE), and then there is the whole class of alkylphenol ethoxylate surfactants (APEs). Use of these chemicals is severely restricted in virtually all western nations except America. An enlightening analysis of their potentially adverse affects on the environment and the human body can be ordered from the Washington Toxics Coalition (watoxics.org).

So why do many cleaning product manufacturers in America still insist on using NPE and APEs even though they don't use them in other western countries? Because they're cheap!

There are alternatives. Cleaning products that use bio-based surfactants. Bio-based surfactants are made primarily from renewable resources such as coconuts, corn and oranges and have a much better health, safety and environmental profile. optionsforlife cleaning products, feature this better, safer class of surfactant.

Disadvantages of Using Chlorine Bleach as a Disinfectant

More and more institutions are not using chlorine bleach products because they:

1. Lack detergency - Contain no wetting agents to allow the disinfecting agent to penetrate soils, so surfaces MUST be pre-cleaned before the chlorine bleach will effectively kill germs.
2. Very caustic to human tissues - Can burn eyes and skin.
3. React with other chemicals to create toxic byproducts and gases - Incompatible with products that contain ammonia, hydrochloric acid and acetic acid (vinegar).
4. Fumes can be irritating - Occupants of building frequently complain about bleach and bleach related odors migrating into their work areas.
5. Can emit a carcinogenic gas if it comes in contact with formaldehyde, or is hyper-chlorinated by hot water.
6. Extremely corrosive to metals - Chlorine bleach can attack and corrode metal surfaces as well as permanently discolor countertops.
7. Discolor fibers and colored surfaces - Carpets, entrance matting and clothing are just a few of the fibers that can be damaged when contacted by chlorine bleach solutions.
8. Damage floor finishes - Chlorine bleach can attack the floor finish coatings on the floor requiring them to be removed and replaced. This is an expensive process.
9. Rapidly inactivated by organic debris (blood, tissue, saliva, microbes).
10. Diluted solutions quickly lose their effectiveness. Chlorine bleach is unstable and can lose its oxidizing and disinfecting strength rapidly compared to "quat" based disinfectant-cleaners and/or sanitizers.

optionsforlife Peroxide Cleaner versus Chlorine Bleach

Let us share with you a true story... Becky Ransey of Indiana (a doctor's wife) was visiting a friend of hers and smelled the bleach she was using to clean her countertops and toilet. This is what she told her friend

"My husband has been in the medical field for over 36 years, and most doctors don't tell you about the peroxide they use in their offices instead of chlorine bleach. Have you ever smelled bleach in a doctor's office? NO! Why? Because, not only does it smell, it's not healthy! Ask the nurses who work in the doctor's offices if they use bleach at home. Most of them don't. They are wiser and know better!"

Peroxide Cleaners versus Chlorine Bleach

Chlorine is widely used as a bleaching agent in the manufacturing process of paper and cloth. When released into the air, it reacts with water to make hydrochloric acid. The most common place you will come into contact with it is at public swimming pools. You can also find it in everyday household bleach.

Household bleach is alkaline and has a pH around 12. This means when multiple cleaners are used for cleaning, it is possible for a chlorinated liquid residue to become acidic and thus corrosive. This can happen, for example, when a vessel is cleaned with a chlorinated cleaner followed by an acid-based cleaner or sanitizer. Accidentally mixing chlorine bleach with acid- or ammonia-based cleaners (so commonly found in households and institutions) can release very harmful gases.

Chlorine at room temperature is a gas. Chlorine gas can effect your health, depending on how much of it you have been exposed to and for how long. It is corrosive and irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Exposure to low amounts may cause a sore throat, eye and skin irritation and coughing. Exposure to higher amounts of the gas can cause narrowing of the bronchi, burning of the eyes and skin and a blue coloring of the skin. It can also cause a build up of fluid in the lungs and pain in the chest.

And, did you know that chlorine bleach does not kill mold, it merely bleaches it!

Hydrogen peroxide is a combination of hydrogen and oxygen. In low concentrations, such as the types found in many homes, it works well as a disinfectant and antiseptic without the smell and potentially harmful effects of chlorine bleach.

Hydrogen peroxide and other oxidizing agents kill microbes by releasing large amounts of oxygen, which contributes to the alteration of the microbial enzymes and destroys pathogens.

Basically, in many cases, optionsforlife Peroxide Cleaner can provide the effects of bleaching without the potential damage of chlorine-based agents.

What it means to be Green Seal Certified

optionsforlife products clean as well as, if not better than, conventional products without harmful ingredients:

» No petroleum distillates
» No heavy metals
» No ammonia
» No chlorine bleach
» No phosphates
» No nonylphenol surfactants
» No 2-Butoxyethanol
» No Isopropanol
» No Formaldehyde
» Low volatile organic chemicals
» No ozone-depleting compounds
» No known carcinogens
» No skin sensitizers
» No chronic health hazards
» No dyes or strong fragrances
» No fire hazards
» No reactive hazards
» Plus, optionsforlife products are:
» Non-toxic to humans and aquatic life
» Biodegradable
» Non-combustible recyclable packaging