Cleaning Supplies is a subcategory of Home Goods. In addition to needing  cleaning products that actually clean, it’s important that they contain organic and non-toxic and ingredients. Biodegradability is another factor to consider. Biodegradability is important because cleaning products get into our waterways. It is especially important when it comes to dish soap and laundry detergent.

Environmental Working Group investigated more than 2,000 cleaning supplies on the American market. They found that many substances are linked to serious health problems. First they found that fumes from some cleaning products may induce asthma in otherwise healthy individuals. A growing body of evidence links many ordinary cleaning supplies with development of asthma and other respiratory problems. But it’s not only asthma, or only the people who are cleaning who are effected.

In fact, Children born to women who held cleaning jobs while pregnant have an elevated risk of birth defects, according to a 2010 study by the New York State Department of Health. Common cleaning ingredients can be laced with the carcinogenic impurity 1,4-dioxane.

Despite these health concerns, cleaning product labels often do not give consumers enough information about their ingredients to allow people to make informed decisions on which ones are safer and which ones might harm their health.