Healthy Home Tips 5: Wash those hands

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Healthy Home Tips 5: Wash those hands

_http://www.ewg.org/Healthy-Home-Tips-05#choosesafersoaps_

(http://www.ewg.org/Healthy-Home-Tips-05#choosesafersoaps)

 

 

Washing our hands is something we do many times a day because it's a

proven way to kill germs. So why are we highlighting something you already do?

Because it's an effective -- but often overlooked -- way to reduce your

exposure to toxic chemicals, especially for children. Ironically, some soaps

contain chemicals you should avoid, so choosing a safer soap is important and

more challenging than it should be.

 

 

WASH THOSE HANDS -- IT CAN REDUCE YOUR TOXIC EXPOSURES.

 

As you know, hand washing with basic soap and water effectively prevents

the spread of infection. It also prevents the transfer of toxic chemicals

from your hands to your mouth. Scientists have found that children actually

ingest more chemicals off their hands than from mouthing toxic products

directly, such as arsenic from playing on _older wooden swing sets_

(http://www.ewg.org/reports/allhandsondeck) or _fire retardants_

(http://www.ewg.org/reports/pbdesintoddlers) found on some electronics.

 

 

Timing is important -- be sure that children wash hands before eating and,

for those who put their hands in their mouths frequently, after playing

too.

 

 

A word about hand sanitizers: These waterless cleansers can be convenient,

but are designed to kill bacteria -- not to remove dust and dirt, which is

often how chemicals migrate. Washing with soap and water, on the other

hand, kills bacteria and more thoroughly removes grime from hands to reducer

any toxic exposures.

 

 

SKIP THE ANTI-BACTERIAL SOAP -- IT OFFERS NO BENEFITS.

 

Anti-bacterial soaps do kill bacteria and microbes -- but so do plain soap

and water. A U.S. FDA advisory committee found that use of antibacterial

soaps provides no benefits over plain soap and water.

 

 

The main reason to avoid anti-bacterial soaps is its active ingredient:

triclosan (and the related triclocarbon). Triclosan is an anti-bacterial

chemical found in many consumer products, and it's nearly ubiquitous in liquid

hand soap. It is linked to liver and inhalation toxicity, and even low

levels of triclosan may disrupt thyroid function. As a result, we include it on

our list of _the top 7 chemicals for children to avoid._

(http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/parentsguide/ingredients.php) .

Further, the

American Medical Association recommends that triclosan not be used in the home,

as it may encourage bacterial resistance to antibiotics.

 

 

It also affects the natural environment. Wastewater treatment does not

remove all of the chemical, which means it ends up in our lakes, rivers and

water sources. That's especially unfortunate since triclosan is very toxic to

aquatic life.

 

 

To learn more about triclosan and how to avoid it, read our _short report_

(http://www.ewg.org/reports/triclosan) and _download our 1-page guide._

(http://www.ewg.org/node/26721)

 

 

CHOOSE SAFER SOAPS.

 

Knowing what ingredients to avoid is important, but identifying safer

alternatives is an equally important next step. We recommend " plain " soap and

water for the most effective and least problematic hand washing.

 

Always check the ingredient list! When you're at the store, read those

labels. Fragrance, triclosan and triclocarbon will be listed, making it easy

to leave them on the shelf and find safer soaps.

 

 

Liquid and bar soaps

 

There are liquid and bar soaps and hand sanitizers that don't contain

triclosan or _fragrance, another ingredient we recommend avoiding._

(

)

 

 

You can find _liquid hand soaps that don't contain triclosan, triclocarbon

or fragrance_

(http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?category=liquid%20hand%20soap & notco\

ntaining=702512,706623, 706622) in our Skin Deep

database -- as well as _triclosan and fragrance-free soaps._

(http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?category=liquid%20hand%20soap & notco\

ntaining=702512,

706623,706622)

 

Prefer bar soap? Choose from _these that have no triclosan, triclocarbon

or fragrance._

(http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?category=bar%20soap & notcontaining=7\

02512,706623)

 

 

Hand sanitizers

 

If you like the convenience of waterless hand sanitizers, alcohol-based

sanitizers are a better bet because they don't contain triclosan or

triclocarbon. We suggest you choose one that doesn’t contain fragrance. You

can

_find products without these ingredients in our Skin Deep database._

(http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?category=

hand+sanitizer & notcontaining=702512,706623, 706622)

 

 

Remember: Hand sanitizers don't prevent hand-to-mouth chemical transfers

as well as soap and water, because their purpose is to kill bacteria, not to

remove the dust and dirt that can harbor chemicals. Also, when washing

with water, product ingredients are partially washed off, whereas all

ingredients in hand sanitizers are left to fully absorb into your skin.

 

 

 

_LEARN MORE about our Healthy Home Tip series and sign up to get the

monthly tips in your inbox._ (http://www.ewg.org/Healthy-Home-Tips-series)