The Household Chemicals That Make up Our Everyday Way of Life

Chemicals are a part of our everyday life whether we like it or not. They often get a bad reputation and the word “chemical” typically has a negative connotation, but household chemicals make our life possible.

From cleaning our dishes and clothes to cooking and baking, chemicals in our homes are part of our daily routines. As long as they are used properly and stored safely, they don’t need to be scary.

Read on to learn more about the household chemicals that make up our daily life.

Baking Soda

Baking soda has many uses, including baking, cleaning, and air purification. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate and it releases CO2 when it reacts with other ingredients.

Baking soda is necessary to make your cookies and muffins to rise appropriately. You can also use it as an abrasive to scrub burnt-on food in your oven or stovetop, and put a container of it in your refrigerator to absorb any smells.

Toothpaste

Did you use toothpaste to brush your teeth this morning? If so, you used the chemicals calcium carbonate and sodium fluoride to clean and whiten them while brushing!

And, if you followed up your brushing with mouthwash, you used alcohol to carry other ingredients to your mouth to clean your teeth, freshen your breath, and prevent against cavities.

Salt

Salt is another chemical used in our daily life. Salt, or sodium chloride, is used to season our food, clean our homes or bodies (salt scrub is great for exfoliating and cleaning stuck-on food), and preserving food.

Alcohol

Whether you’re drinking it or using it to clean a wound, alcohol is a chemical. Made of ethanol, alcohol can have ill effects if it is consumed excessively.

Sugar

Did you sweeten your morning coffee with sugar today? Or use an artificial sweetener in your iced tea? Those are all made of chemicals. Sugar is sucrose and artificial sweeteners vary in their chemical make-up.

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid is used to prevent acne. You can find it in face wash, body wash, and acne spot treatments. It’s a beta-hydroxy acid and is effective in preventing and fighting acne, but can be an irritant if your skin is sensitive if you overuse it.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is another daily product used for its antiseptic properties, cleaning properties, and can even be a mouth rinse to relieve minor mouth irritation due to sores or gingivitis.

Avoid These Chemicals

Although there are many safe chemicals we encounter in our daily life (when used as directed, of course), there are others that make appearances that we should actively try to avoid, however. These include:

• Paraffin (found in wax and candles)
• Formaldehyde (found in cosmetic products)
• Parabens (found in cosmetic products)
• Phthalates (found in many plastic products, such as cups, containers, and personal care products)
• Artificial colors (found in food and cleaning products)
• Sodium lauryl sulfate (found in personal care and cleaning products)

There is significant research on the dangers of these products, including cancer, thyroid issues, and skin irritation.

Explore more info about chemicals and their safety to educate yourself about your household products.

Safe Household Chemicals

Although the word “chemical” typically has a negative connotation, household chemicals are necessary for our everyday life in most cases. When used, properly, they are safe and effective.