How can I decide whether to use a homemade mixture or a commercially formulated cleaning product?
Considerations of safety and performance should come first when thinking about using homemade mixtures. Know the Safety Guidelines Commercially formulated cleaning products are tested, packaged and labeled in accordance with standards set by such government agencies as the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency. Besides directions on how to use and store the product, the label typically provides the consumer with instructions on how to treat accidental exposures. Precautions about mixing certain products together are also given when appropriate. Some labels carry disposal instructions. And toll-free phone numbers enable the consumer to get additional information from the manufacturer. Such safety assurances may not exist for mix-at-home recipes. For example, while the effects of “alternative” ingredients are known for their intended exposures, there may not be information on unintended uses of these chemicals or their combination with other chemicals
