--- title: Your Cleaning Products Might Be More Harmful Than You Think description: New research has identified a list of chemicals that are bad news. Are any lurking in your home? canonical: https://time.com/3699610/harmful-cleaning-products/ author: Real Simple article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-02-06T21:18:12.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T08:56:42.394Z og:title: Your Cleaning Products Might Be More Harmful Than You Think og:description: New research has identified a list of chemicals that are bad news. 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Worth Your Time is TIME's culture newsletter, published Tuesdays and Saturdays to 40,000 subscribers as of August 2026. #### Who writes TIME's culture recommendations? Culture editor Eliza Berman writes Worth Your Time, drawing on TIME's critics and culture desk. #### Is Worth Your Time free? Yes. It is a free newsletter available at time.com/newsletters. by [Real Simple](https://time.com/author/real-simple/) ## Real Simple Feb 6, 2015 9:18 PM UTC by [Real Simple](https://time.com/author/real-simple/) ## Real Simple Feb 6, 2015 9:18 PM UTC Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis recently [identified 15 chemicals](https://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/menopause-chemicals.aspx) that can be classified as endocrine disruptors, linked with early-onset menopause in women. While we worry that [endocrine disruptors cause early puberty](http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/kids-parenting/early-puberty) in young girls, it’s possible that they could have long-lasting, serious implications for women of all ages. Endocrine disrupting chemicals [mimic hormones in the body](http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/), namely, estrogen. According to Dr. Natalie Azar, _NBC News_ contributor, because estrogen protects our bones and our hearts, long-term effects of endocrine disruption could include osteoporosis or cardiovascular diseases. “Go to both the EPA website and the FDA website,” says Azar. “You’ll get a full list of the trade names of where these chemicals are, and you can be very mindful users.” The Today show also spoke to cleaning expert [Linda Cobb](http://queenofclean.com/) about shopping for safe cleaning supplies. Cobb avoids products with mentions of chlorine or optical brighteners, as well as labels that show fragrance (or what Cobb calls, a “chemical cocktail”). Previously, [RealSimple.com spoke](http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/kids-parenting/early-puberty) to Drs. Julianna Deardorff and Louise Greenspan, who co-authored _The New Puberty: How to Navigate Early Development in Today’s Girls._ Deardorff noted that lavender-scented personal care products may be harmful to a daughter’s development. Because a child’s skin is a very active organ of absorption, endocrine-disrupting chemicals—both personal care and cleaning—can be risky for young girls. “Try to get an idea of what is in your environment,” Azar says. “That’s really the only way you can protect yourself.” _This_ [_article_](http://www.realsimple.com/health/preventative-health/early-menopause-chemicals?xid=time-rs) _originally appeared on_ [_RealSimple.com_](http://www.realsimple.com/)_._ _More from Real Simple:_ * [Should Kids Have to Keep Their Rooms Tidy?](http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/should-kids-have-to-keep-their-rooms-tidy?xid=time-rs) * [Can You Be Cool and Also Be a Good Parent?](http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/can-you-be-cool-and-also-be-a-good-parent?xid=time-rs) * [6 Important Life Lessons it Really Is Possible to Forget to Teach Your Children](http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/6-important-life-lessons-it-really-is-possible-to-forget-to-teach-your?xid=time-rs) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3699610/harmful-cleaning-products/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3699610/harmful-cleaning-products/"},"headline":"Your Cleaning Products Might Be More Harmful Than You Think","datePublished":"2015-02-06T21:18:12.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:56:42.394Z","description":"New research has identified a list of chemicals that are bad news. 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