<>
Homemade Cleaners Not Always Safer,
Group Warns

(NewsUSA) - America's grocery stores are stocked with products for every kno
wn cleaning job to be done in the average household. But some consumers choose to avoid commercial household products in the belief that homemade mixtures create a healthier indoor environment.

Using commercially formulated cleaning products assures that your home will be safe as well as clean.

Nothing could be further from the truth, say officials at the Consumer Specialty Products Association. The organization cites many inherent hazards in taking the "kitchen-chemistry" approach to housecleaning.

CSPA officials suggest keeping the following in mind when planning your next major cleaning project:

* Product safety: Commercial consumer products go through rigorous tests to meet government safety standards. Such tests assure that ingredients are compatible and will remain stable throughout the product's shelf life. By contrast, self-mixed alternatives have no manufacturer to hold accountable to the same strenuous requirements.

* Materials compatibility: Consumer products are tested to make sure that they're compatible with materials on which they are applied and safe for the environment during use and disposal. Untested homemade cleaning products may produce unintended consequences, including damage to surfaces.

* Quality control: Consumer products are manufactured with quality control procedures. This process assures that products have the proper ingredients in correct proportions, are free of contamination and are packaged in the intended container.

* Emergency treatment: The labels of most consumer products feature first aid and medical treatment information. This is not the case with unlabeled alternatives, for which proper treatment cannot be administered in an emergency, since their formulation cannot be referenced in a poison center's information system. By comparison, the formulas for consumer products are readily accessible for poison centers to view. In addition, all commercial products are clearly labeled for proper use and packaged in child-proof containers where appropriate.

For more information about the benefits of commercially formulated consumer products, visit www.cspa.org.