What's Under Your Sink Could Be Harming Your Family

The Hidden Risks in Everyday Products

Most households contain dozens of products with chemicals that can cause skin irritation, respiratory problems, hormone disruption, and in some cases long-term health effects. The good news is that with a little knowledge, you can make smarter choices without overhauling your entire home.

Ingredients to Watch Out For

•        Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) — effective disinfectant but harmful to lungs and skin, never mix with ammonia or acids

•        Ammonia — found in glass cleaners, can cause respiratory irritation, never mix with bleach

•        Phthalates — found in fragranced products, linked to hormone disruption

•        Triclosan — antibacterial agent in some soaps, linked to antibiotic resistance

•        2-Butoxyethanol — found in all-purpose cleaners, can cause liver and kidney damage with prolonged exposure

•        Perchloroethylene (PERC) — found in dry cleaning solutions, classified as a possible carcinogen

Verdara Tip: Never mix bleach and ammonia. The reaction produces toxic chloramine gas that can cause serious respiratory damage.

Safer Alternatives for Common Tasks

•        All-purpose cleaning — diluted white vinegar or baking soda solutions

•        Glass cleaning — diluted rubbing alcohol with water

•        Disinfecting — hydrogen peroxide (3%) is effective and breaks down safely

•        Drain cleaning — baking soda followed by vinegar, then hot water

•        Laundry — fragrance-free, dye-free detergents rated by EWG

Safe Storage and Disposal

•        Keep all products in original containers with labels intact

•        Store out of reach of children and pets

•        Never mix products — even products that seem similar

•        Dispose of hazardous chemicals at your local household hazardous waste facility

•        Check EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning at ewg.org for ratings on your current products

How Verdara Can Help

Verdara carries a curated selection of EWG-verified cleaning and household products that have passed rigorous ingredient safety standards. Every product on our site comes with full ingredient transparency — no hidden chemicals, no misleading marketing. Just honest products you can feel good about using in your home.

Verdara  |  verdarashop.com  |  Know What's In Everything  |  May 2026