A FEAR FACTOR?

 

Some consumers feel that if a product hasn't been proven to cause cancer or reproductive harm it's safe if used as directed, Rangan said. Others are leery of unknown health and environmental effects or are concerned about the consequences if their children are exposed to harmful ingredients. For these people, natural products have a certain appeal.

 

To address this type of consumer, some products on the market are being made without ammonia, for example, Heine said. Products are also made to be less volatile, so fewer chemicals will enter the air, and cleaning formulas are being made so that they're more biodegradable than their predecessors, she added.

 

But Sansoni, of the Soap and Detergent Association, said that some marketers of natural products as well as activists may "go overboard" and fuel some fears about the use of traditional cleaners.

 

Cleaning products people have been using for years are safe when they're used as directed, he said. And according to a recent survey done by the group, 85 percent of the 1,013 adults who were polled believe that statement.

 

"Most consumers aren't walking around with a chemistry textbook in their pocket. The most important thing on the label is the safety and usage information," he said.

 

Plus, words like "nontoxic" or "natural" or "green" are often marketing terms, and not terms of science, Sansoni said. And on that, Rangan agrees.

 

She advises looking at the ingredients before buying a natural cleaning product. Manufacturers aren't required to detail every ingredient in their products (a protection they're given to guard secrets from competitors). But if a product claims to be natural, make sure the company spells out why, she said.

 

"If you don't see an ingredient list and see something that claims to be natural, you may want to take a pass," Rangan said. That may be especially a good idea if the natural alternative costs more, she said.