Recent research has found that many household cleaning products contain harmful ingredients and impurities, including formaldehyde and other volatile organic chemicals, 1,4-dioxane, and toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS or PFCs.

At Guests on Earth, we hold ourselves to the highest standards when it comes to our formulations. We consulted both EWG’s (Environmental Working Group) Cleaners Criteria and "Unacceptable" list and Made Safe’s qualifications when developing our products, and we list the EWG score of each ingredient in our Ingredient Glossary.

We intentionally avoid common allergens and irritants in our formulations, so you won’t find any synthetic fragrances, perfumes, sulfates, ammonia, gluten, formaldehyde, phosphates, parabens, phthalates, chlorine, bleach or dyes. 

Let’s break the consequences of toxic ingredients down a bit more:

Environment
Conventional household cleaners often contain toxic chemicals that can't be removed at water treatment facilities, so they eventually make their way into our major waterways and affect the local ecosystem. Additionally, the vast majority of traditional cleaning products come in plastic bottles/containers that wind up in landfills and often as microplastics, persisting in our oceans.

Human Health
A number of cleaners on the market contain harmful detergents, grease-cutting agents, disinfectants and solvents. Depending on the ingredients included in these cleaners, they can contribute to health conditions, allergies and asthma. Ingredients like acetone, ammonia, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are particularly risky but can be hard to avoid breathing in when you’re cleaning.  They can also be highly poisonous to both humans and animals if swallowed.

Surface Longevity
Chemicals in standard cleaners like bleach and chlorine can leave marks and stains if accidentally applied to the wrong surface. So, using natural cleaners can actually help to increase the longevity of your surfaces.

We'll continue to share information in this vein, please feel free to reach out with any specific that you're interested in hearing about!