It was one of these evenings I needed to get away from my computer and my books and chose to indulge myself with a little TV watching. Then came the interruption and a TV commercial with kids whispering secrets in each other’s ears in a green – and clean – country like settings. “This is a great ad!” I said to myself. What was my bewilderment when I realized it was a commercial for Clorox disinfecting line of products.
I actually knew of these commercials before hand having a friend who had edited them but never had a chance to see the final product. I thought the EPA would have never allowed them to go on with it. I was – and still am – shocked. And upset. Shocked because Clorox disinfecting products are dangerous to use around people, kids especially, and pets; and upset because the EPA, although very prompt to pull out the “fine” gun – brought forward as agriculture-related enforcement cases – has not (yet) gone after what is arguably an infringement of its regulations as seen in the Monsanto RoundUp case 10 years ago.

The EPA (the Environmental and Protection Agency) is a federal constituent regulating pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), which includes antimicrobial surface care products (the antimicrobial personal care products – the stuff we put on our skin or in our mouth “as directed” – being regulated by the Food and Drug Agency). Its mission, I quote: “is to protect human health and the environment.”

I am not going to deconstruct Clorox TV commercials from a western-philosophical-Jacques Derrida-process but let’s risk a finger or two in what it is the Clorox company is hoping to achieve with these commercials and what should have made EPA frowned.

Kids are playing outdoors, sharing secrets about transgressing parents’ “does and don’ts” or “shoulds and shouldn’ts”, each of them triggering a grimace and a smile “yeah it’s yucky but eh, they’ll do it anyway” (projection, we were kids as well and no one succeeded in stopping us): “I eat food from the floor” – c’mon there is worst, playing with the toilet bowl? – “I don’t wash my hands” … Cute but worrisome, isn’t it?

Well, here is something for you, concerned, super diligent caring parents: Clorox to the rescue! Ok stop right there. Clorox does not come to the rescue; it comes for your wallet. Illnesses caused by germs can make a kid’s life miserable for a few days, while toxic chemicals can make them sick for a lifetime – asthma, allergies, and an increased sensitivity to germs triggering upper respiratory illnesses, dermatitis (skin reaction) as well. In a short: you’re cleaning for health and to do so you’re spraying, wiping, cleaning (disinfecting) with a product using ingredients that you don’t know anything about but are TOXIC, and Clorox is making you feel good about it (listen to the moms testimony). Oh, by the way, do you throw away the carrots leaf or do you compost?

One more, and I am done with this: my baby – not yet a toddler – is sitting on a feeding booster chair – still Clorox TV ad but I feel I’m mister mom here – makes a mess (that’s okay), and – the next frame you see – someone (me) is spraying a Clorox product on the detachable tray … is the baby still sitting? Doesn’t tell but we feel s/he is and that’s okay. IT IS NOT!!!! A prolonged exposure to sodium hypochlorite and sodium hypodroxide are potentially more dangerous than a flu or a cold.

Let’s not expect anything from Clorox. But we can ask the EPA what do they have to say about it. Call them, write to them … don’t let this go away: a) kids need you to fight for their health and safety, b) the EPA is funded with YOUR money and c) you’ve got the power (sing it loud!).

Having said all this, there are a few products and tips that can help you keep your home safe and healthy without exposing your child to toxic compounds. But this is for another post.

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