It makes your wooden furniture look shiny and new, and while it can brighten the entire room, are the risks of furniture polish really worth it? Conventional furniture polish is a highly toxic concoction. If accidentally swallowed, it can have extremely serious consequences, and warrants an immediate trip to the emergency room. Even long-term exposure to small amounts, however, may cause ill effects to human health and the health of the environment.
According to MedlinePlus a service of the US National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, the hydrocarbons found in liquid furniture polish may lead to poisoning when swallowed, inhaled, or sprayed into the eyes.
MedlinePlus states that if furniture polish is swallowed, symptoms may include confusion, dizziness, severe stomach or throat pain, throat swelling, bloody vomit or stools, breathing difficulty, or even coma. Depending on the extent of the damage, it may continue for several weeks after swallowing the hydrocarbons. I
f furniture polish happens to get into your eyes, it can cause skin irritation or vision loss. If it is inhaled, it may cause severe damage to your lungs. If any such contact with furniture polish occurs, 911 should be contacted immediately.
Especially if there are small children around, this poison is just not worth having in the house. Even in the case of regular, non-emergency exposure, furniture polish may have damaging effects, especially if used regularly.
One hydrocarbon contained in the mix is formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen that can accumulate in human fat tissue over time. Formaldehyde can also kill bacteria and fungus, meaning it could disrupt delicate ecosystems if disposed of improperly.
With all of the other chemical compounds used in these products, formaldehyde is probably not the only one that can build up in the body or harm the environment. It is easy to see that this product just isn’t worth that extra shine that it provides your wooden tables and chairs. Luckily, completely safe, natural furniture polish couldn’t be simpler to make at home.
Take about half a cup of white vinegar, and add a teaspoon of organic jojoba oil. That’s it! Jojoba oil is a liquid wax that never expires, so it is your best choice. Alternately, you could use organic lemon juice instead of vinegar, and organic olive oil instead of jojoba. Your furniture will be clean, shining, and not releasing dangerous chemicals into your home!
-The Alternative Daily
Sources:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002788.htm http://www.examiner.com/article/what-s-wrong-with-furniture-polish http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tf.asp?id=147&tid=27 http://www.care2.com/greenliving/alternative-furniture-polish.html