Why aren’t cleaning acids always the best option

The pieces of furniture we have and the fixture inside our houses are our precious belongings. Not one person would want their belongings to be damaged for many reasons. Some people find comfort in these belongings or simply cannot afford to buy a new one after damage. Thus, cleaning them with the proper and sufficient products should be a priority for the cleaners.

As a cleaner, you should always know the products you apply and use for cleaning. Aside from avoiding damage, being knowledgeable also guides you to the proper and efficient cleaning methods. It helps you decide the cleaning products that you will recommend to your fellow cleaners and that you will continuously use in the future.

Cleaning products are not always acid. Some products are alkaline in nature, while some are neutral. However, acids are always advertised as the most effective remedy to remove soils. However, that is false because other non-acidic cleaners work better than popular cleaning acids. Thus, let’s discuss why cleaning acids are not always the better option.

The Disadvantages of Acids

Acids have their drawbacks in cleaning and a lot of different aspects. You may wonder why there are precautionary signs in acid bottles, and this is because of the harmful effects that this may cause to the user and their surroundings. Moreover, here are the specifics on why acids are inconvenient.

The Disadvantages of Acids

#1 It is harmful to your body parts when you clean.

It is common knowledge that chemicals can harm the skin. Sometimes, you may sound confident when you avoid in-touch contact with these acids. But, truthfully, acids do not just harm the skin by touching, it also harms living organisms with their aerial presence.

When acid touches your skin, you may experience burns, redness and blistering. Some injuries only take a medical ointment to heal, but some may get you hospitalized. In addition, the acid also irritates your eyes even without direct contact and can cause blindness. Lastly, inhalation of acid can damage your lungs severely and cause complications to your respiratory system.

#2 It can cause damage to your furniture.

When cleaning, you need to provide proper care for our furniture and fixtures. However, when you use the wrong materials, you can cause more damage than reparation to the item you are cleaning.

Wooden furniture is the most susceptible to damage. When your cleaning acids contain strong mineral acids, you can assume specific changes to your wood. These changes can go from lightening its colour to burning and damaging the wooden components all throughout. For wooden floors commonly topped off with wax, acid can cause the wax to deplete and leave cloudy and unrepairable damage to your floors.

#3 It is not children-friendly and pet-friendly.

Undoubtedly, children and pets roam around the house even when you are cleaning. As naturally enthusiastic living beings, you cannot ask them to stay in one corner while cleaning the whole house. With that said, it is essential to use children-friendly and pet-friendly cleaning products, especially when they are around the place.

Keep acids out of reach of children and pets

Children can talk and say how they feel, especially when feeling sick, but unfortunately, it is different for your pets. Acids are very toxic to pets for various reasons. Sometimes, the toxicity does not come into effect immediately, and you may see the impact in a couple of hours or days. However, when pets contact acids, you may notice drooling, vomiting, redness and more. Thus, it is essential to keep them away from these harmful substances.

#4 It harms the environment through improper waste disposal.

It is common knowledge that acid can harm the environment. Without proper waste disposal, you can add to the harmful substances that cause the Earth to deplete. The chemicals you use are often disposed of in drainages which is very unprofessional as a cleaner. Cleaning solutions should be diluted for them to be less harmful. You should also dispose of these in the proper disposals like sewages, or you can put them in a container and give it to the acid waste program.

Acid Alternatives

Using cleaning acids is not your only option. There are numerous alternatives that you can utilize in replacement with acids. These alternatives are neutrals or basic ones that you can find in the same store where you buy your acids in. Moreover, there are also natural remedies that you can use to eradicate the soils that are usually removed by acid.

There are numerous alternatives that you can utilize in replacement with acids

#1: Natural Home-found Ingredients

Vinegar, lemon and baking soda are the holy trinity of natural cleaning methods. They provide the appropriate level of acidity that can be less harmful than manufactured acids. Moreover, these are commonly found in your household as ingredients for food making.

Baking sodas are good deoxidizers, so if you aim to eradicate stubborn smell and odour from your bathrooms and kitchens, this is the suitable ingredient for you. On the other hand, lemons and vinegar are natural acids that aim to kill bacteria. These are also good for eradicating stains, moulds, and mild rust on surfaces, and the right cleaning tools like scrubs and steel wool. Moreover, numerous advantages come along with these natural ingredients.

#2: Borax 

Borax is the best-recommended alternative for acids, especially when aiming to fight wall stains, defeat grease and sanitize an area. Although it is not safe to ingest, it is very safe to touch the skin and not irritate the eyes like your ordinary cleaning acid. Furthermore, it is a natural abrasive and can be used to scrub grimes off your tiles.

#3: Neutral cleaning agents

Neutral cleaning agents are commonly found in your home through dish soaps and window cleaners. Some people use these products anywhere in the house that you need to clean. With is neutral pH level, it cannot cause harm to your floors, walls and pieces of furniture. In addition, it leaves a polished finish to your surfaces, including those covered with paint. Dish soap also removes common soils, especially with the effect of a portion of water.

Conclusion

If there’s a will, there’s a way! Unfortunately, acids are not your universal cleaners because they can cause damaging effects to you, your furniture and your surroundings. Although acids are quite commonly commercialized and advertised in the market, they do not necessarily mean that they are safe to use everywhere.

There are numerous alternatives that you can replace with acids, and they are not difficult to find. With the proper knowledge and handling of these substitutions, you can find a product that you can use in the long term. Moreover, these agents are not just not acid alternatives, but they are also cheaper alternatives that can benefit you as a cleaner.

FAQ

Are all acids harmful?

There are certain levels of acidity that you have to be knowledgeable of. For example, some cleaning acids are weak but can still be damaging if used in greater concentrations.

Which cleaning acid is most harmful?

Sulfuric acid is a harmful acid and can cause damaging effects to live organisms, such as skin burns, blindness and more.

How to neutralize acid spills?

Pouring an adequate amount of baking soda solution (1/4 baking soda and four portions of water) can reduce the harmful effects of acid.