Can a Pregnant Mama Safely Satisfy Her Nesting Instinct?

• Glycol ethers, found in glass cleaners, floor cleaners, air fresheners, carpet cleaners, and oven cleaners, contribute their share of problems, including reduced sperm counts, reduced fertility, cleft lips, neural tube defects, and red blood cell damage. ²

• APEs and NPEs (alkylphenol ethoxylates and nonylphenol ethoxylates) are used in laundry detergents, stain removers, and all-purpose cleaners. They’re especially dangerous because they become more toxic as they degrade in products. They alter testosterone production, and in animal studies they alter fertility as well as reduce sperm production and testicle size. ³

• Phthalates, the dangerous component of many cosmetics, also are part of the fragrances of laundry detergents, fabric softeners, deodorizers, glass cleaners, and floor polish. They significantly damage male reproductive systems.

Air fresheners

While they’re not cleaning products, air fresheners also harm mothers and unborn children. Whether it’s a plug-in variety or a spray, many fresheners contain carcinogens and other chemicals like phthalates. ⁴In his 1999 study “Far From Fragrant,” R. Edwards noted a survey of 14,000 pregnant women in the United Kingdom: “In homes where air fresheners and aerosol sprays were used on most days, women experienced twenty-five percent more headaches and nineteen percent more post-natal depression than women in homes where such products were used less than once a week. Babies under six months old who were exposed to air fresheners on most days had thirty percent more ear infections and a twenty-two percent greater chance of diarrhea than babies exposed less than once a week.” ⁵

• Basic cleaners in the Jan. 19 post;

• Laundry detergent in the Feb. 19 post;

• Kitchen and bathroom cleaners in the March 23 post;

• Readers’ recipes for homemade cleansers in the March 25 post; and

• A surefire solution to removing crayon marks from walls in the March 26 post.

Personal testimony

Before our first child was born, my husband and I saved a lot of money by borrowing baby gear. I loved the savings, but was concerned about sanitizing the products before my baby used them. I knew bleach was too harsh for the job, yet I didn’t know much about natural cleaning products yet – so I used an antibacterial spray. Now that I have a great understanding of natural cleaning, I know that hydrogen peroxide and tea tree oil both are safe and effective disinfectants and sanitizers.

If you enjoyed this post, you may be interested in reading How clean are your cleaning supplies?

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Hilary Kimes Bernstein

Hilary Kimes Bernstein is a Christ follower, wife, mama, and journalist. She writes about making healthy decisions that honor God and happen to help the environment at Accidentally Green. Short and sweet - like her writing - Hilary is the author of several healthy living eBooks.

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