Insights from the Editor

It's that time of year to polish the furniture, scrub the showers, and do away with the dust.

Ever wonder what's in those cleaning products you're using? If you look at labels, you may not learn much. Surprisingly, manufacturers of household cleaners are not required to disclose ingredients, so often what you see (if anything) are vague descriptors such as "cleaning agents," "dye" or "fragrance." (A law in New York state does require disclosure, and consumer groups are suing manufacturers for failing to comply.)

This secrecy has helped fuel concerns that cleaning products contain toxic chemicals that pose a health threat, even when the cleaners are used as directed. Though there's no direct evidence for this, there's no ironclad proof that they're completely safe either. We simply have too little independent research — and too little knowledge of exactly what's in many products — to be sure either way.

What we do know is that exposure to certain cleaning products has been linked to asthma and other respiratory problems. And the fact that we're routinely dumping all those chemicals down the drain can't be too good for the environment.

If you're trying to avoid conventional cleaning products, one option is "natural" or "green" cleaners that are supposedly free of harmful chemicals. The problem is that you have to take the manufacturers' word for it. Despite the marketing claims, there's no way to be certain that the ingredients are substantially different from those in standard cleaners or any safer.

Another approach is to make your own cleaners. It's remarkable how much you can do with a few simple ingredients such as baking soda, vinegar, and lemons. Try these recipes from Better Homes and Gardens and Greenpeace for effective homemade bathroom cleaners, air fresheners, and furniture polish, among other things.

To find out more about what's in some standard cleaning products and what kinds of risks they may pose, check out the Household Products Database from the National Library of Medicine.

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Painting Safety: "New paint smell" is actually a mix of volatile chemicals that makes some people feel sick. Learn how to put on a fresh coat of paint without all the headaches.