Dangers of Chlorine in Showers, Pools and Cleaning Products
Who would want to take a bath first thing in the morning if they knew that their showers are filled with toxins? And not only that; if you bathe in your pool or when you’re using cleaning products, are you aware that they contain toxins too? Well, that is already a proven fact and you should know because it concerns you and your family’s health. Some of the dangers of chlorine in showers, pools, and cleaning products include increasing the risk of skin allergies, cancer, sinuses, and at can also cause harm to your lungs.
It is the toxins that can damage an individual’s health. Chlorine is just one of those toxins. Most of the suppliers of water use chlorine for disinfection purposes. However, what these water suppliers don’t know is that the chlorine can harden arteries, irritate skin, destroy body proteins, aggravate asthma and sinus conditions, allergies, and most specially, respiratory problems.
There have been many studies showing that people who drink chlorinated water were more susceptible to rectal and bladder cancer. Skin absorbs chlorine. So when you take a shower or you bathe in the pool, your body is absorbing a lot of chlorine. Some tests even showed that the absorption of chlorine is far higher when an individual is taking a bath rather than simply drinking the water. When you’re cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, you usually use cleaning products. The same thing happens; it’s just like taking a bath because you wet your hands (this is where chlorine is absorbed) and you can inhale the toxins.
You might think that it’s impossible but it is definitely true. You see, when you’re taking a shower, your pores are opened and when this happens, the whole body will work similar to that of a sponge. Chlorine vapors are inhaled and absorbed by the skin. It goes directly to the bloodstream. This is much faster than drinking the water because chlorine will still pass to other organs of the body.
The risks can be divided into short term and long term. In the short term of exposure to chlorine, you can suffer from sinus, skin, and eye irritations. Over the long term, people can suffer from hardened arteries, oxidation (wherein cells and tissues age fast), and susceptibility to cancer. Individuals suffering from asthma, allergies, skin rashes, and emphysema should lessen the exposure to chlorinated water because their conditions can become worse.
Because of these alarming facts, there are now counteractive measures that people can turn to. For shower and pools, make sure that you use a proper water filter. There are shower filters available in the market but just make sure that you buy one with the KDF medium. Pool filters are also widely available. In the case of cleaning products, you should look into the ingredients before you make a purchase. If you want, you can turn to the basics and use baking soda or vinegar to clean the house.
As a responsible homeowner, you should be aware of the dangers of chlorine in showers, pool, and cleaning products. This is the only way to live a much safer life. Who could ever think that danger is lurking in the comforts of your home? Stay safe and take the necessary measures in order to address the chlorine problems.