Haz-Mats At Home?

(2 of 2)

Beyond that, formulas are updated frequently; firms say they conceal ingredients to maintain trade secrets. It's almost impossible for a chemist, never mind consumers, to keep up. Environmental organizations and producers of eco-products told me to be wary. When I called the Soap and Detergent Association, a spokesman assured me that cleansers have never been proved to be carcinogenic (which doesn't mean that they've proved not to be) and that alkylphenols, which can imitate estrogen in the body and are commonly used as surfactants, have a "negligible" environmental impact. "All chemicals are toxic at some exposure, including salt and water," he told me, emphasizing, "The most important thing consumers can do to ensure the safe and effective use of a product is to read the label."

"But that's what I did ..." I've never considered myself an eco-mom, but when it comes to my family's health, I don't want to be proved wrong after the fact. For the most part, the answer to whether these products are safe is: we don't know. Not much research has been done. Still, it nearly killed me to dump my Costco cache. Luckily, Target now sells eco-cleaners.