The harmful effects of surface cleaners make many people wonder even if they should use surface cleaners every day. If you are one such person who uses surface cleaners on a daily basis, then you should know that there are two main categories of surface cleaners, ammonia-based surface cleaners, and environment-friendly surface cleaners. There are less harmful effects of surface cleaners that are environment-friendly, but they are costlier. Know more about this and other pros and cons of surface cleaners’ right here.
PROS OF AMMONIA-BASED SURFACE CLEANERS
INEXPENSIVE
Ammonia-based surface cleaners are inexpensive and easily available everywhere.
EASY TO MAKE
You can even buy it in concentrated form and dilute it with water to save more money.
GREAT TO USE
Ammonia-based surfaced cleaners work great on steel and glass surfaces. They are also excellent for getting rid of stubborn soap scum and wax buildup on floors.
CONS OF AMMONIA-BASED SURFACE CLEANERS
HEALTH THREAT
The harmful effects of surface cleaners created by ammonia are well-documented. If the ammonia is not diluted and comes in contact with skin, mouth, eyes, or stomach, it can do some harm.
NOT SUITABLE FOR MIXING
Never mix ammonia-based cleaners with a liquid containing bleach, oxidants, mercury or iodine salts as it can lead to the formation of toxic gas of explosive compound.
NOT FOR HARDWOOD
These surface cleaners are not recommended for hardwood as they can do damage.
PROS OF ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY CLEANERS
NO SIDE EFFECTS
There are no harmful effects of surface cleaners that are environment-friendly because they don’t have toxic ingredients like ammonia, methyl chloride, nonoxynols, etc. All the ingredients are natural in origin. Examples include enzymes, citric acid, and lactic acid.
LESS TRACE
Environment-friendly surface cleaners leave less trace in water and soil as compared to other cleaners and hence are less harmful to the ecosystem.
MINIMAL IRRITATION
Environment-friendly surface cleaners rarely irritate your skin or the respiratory system. As ammonia-based surface cleaners are often hated for this one among the harmful effects of surface cleaners, people with sensitive skin or vulnerable respiratory system often seek environment-friendly options.
CONS OF ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY SURFACE CLEANERS
COSTLY
The cost of these types of surface cleaners is often higher than ammonia-based surface cleaners. They are also often hard to find in the local stores.
LESS EFFECTIVENESS
If you are working on removing tough stains with these surface cleaners, you will need to put in more effort and time as compared to ammonia-based cleaners. A solution to this could be to clean regularly and not let the stains get old.
After analyzing the properties of two main categories of surface cleaners, and having a look and pros and cons of surface cleaners, it can be concluded that environment-friendly surface cleaners are a good investment as the harmful effects of surface cleaners are minimal there. Adopt them for a happier and safer cleaning experience.