So Much for the Environment...

Mold removal with chemicals warning on cleaning supplies

by Mercia Tapping, President, AllergyBuyersClub.com

It was with great anticipation that we wrote off to a well respected catalog in the allergy field for a newly listed product for mold control. It was called Enviro-Pro which had a healthy ring to it. We presumed, and quite mistakenly it turned out later, that it was a safe and biodegradable product. Given that I have mold allergies, I was anxious to find an effective way to rid ourselves of the disgusting looking mold in the bathroom, especially the shower curtain. When the product arrived, we read the small print, a habit we have acquired since conducting product reviews. This is what it said:

INFO LINKS Dehumidifiers Overview - view all Dehumidifiers sold by AllergyBuyersClub.com Dehumidifiers Comparison Chart - a comparison with pluses and minuses of all the best dehumidifiers Mold Solution Guide - a quick buyers guide of the best recommended products to solve mold allergy problems Mold Learning Center - FAQs and Mold Prevention and Cleaning articles

Precautionary Statement: "Hazard to humans and domestic animals: Corrosive. Causes eye and skin damage. Fatal if swallowed or absorbed through skin. Do not get in eyes, on skin, or on clothing. Wear goggles or face shield and rubber gloves when handling. Avoid contamination of food. Environmental hazards: Treated effluent should not be discharged where it will drain into lakes, streams, ponds, or public water."

It contains tributytin maleate.

We'd like to warn you that if you go ahead and use a product or cleaning supplies like this, it should be kept under lock and key, especially if you have young children. You should follow the instructions for usage, without deviating from them one tiny little bit. I grant you that mold is rather difficult to control, but there are some pretty effective methods of getting mold under control, some with completely natural ingredients [subject of a future newsletter]. We believe it is not necessary to use a product like this in order to get rid of mold in your house.

The moral of the story is: do not let a product name fool you. Always check the ingredients and small print, even if you thought the cleaning product was coming from a trusted source. Otherwise, you just might have bought a product which could kill you, or a member of your family.

The frightening thing is who has the time to read the small print nowadays?

First Published: November 1999
Updated: April 2007

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