Chemicals Part One:

Household Chemicals
prepared by Jeffrey Sabado, RPh
Objectives
● Identify active and major ingredients in cleaning and
personal care products;
● Explain the mode of action and precautionary
measures indicated in various cleaning products and
cosmetics;
● Create a set of guidelines in selecting healthy and
environmentally safe products;
● Explore and create alternative homemade cleaning and
personal care products
Review
● What material is considered a cheap alternative to carbon
fiber?
● What material has this chemical structure?

CLUE: take note

of this element
right here.
Review
● A thick layer of this material is lightweight but is enough to
stop bullets and shrapnels, making it a perfect material for
military personnel use. What material is it?
● This low-cost material is particularly used as beverage
containers because it does not affect its contents
chemically.
● What does PTFE stand for?
Introduction
All of us have the experience to clean some parts of our
house, our clothes, vehicles (some people), and of course,
our bodies.
What usual brands do you buy/use when:
● washing clothes?
● cleaning surfaces?
● eradicating house pests/ insects?
● enhancing our appearance?
Introduction
All of those examples that you have given have substances
included within them that enables them to work as
intended. We call them active ingredients. These
ingredients are the reason why these substances have
their properties such as being able to clean and disinfect
surfaces well, able to get rid of pests, and able to protect
us from microorganisms and make us look good.
Introduction
Do take note that some of these
substances are harmful when ingested,
inhaled, or absorbed the skin. With that,
we only use them as intended:
according to what is specified in their
labels. When using these substances,
check the label.
Introduction
These substances have special labels
that warns us regarding misuse and
other information which gives us
directions on how to use them properly
or how to contact emergency services
when we accidentally handled these
substances wrongfully. These labels are
required by the law.
Chemical Agents: For Laundry Use
Laundry detergents generally have cationic, anionic, or
non-ionic solutions which both have polar and nonpolar
ends. The polar side of the molecule of detergents are
“water-loving”, while the nonpolar side is “water-hating.”
The nonpolar side makes the dirt or grease bind
themselves to soap molecules, while the polar side makes
them easily washed off with water.
Chemical Agents: For Laundry Use
Warning: Laundry detergents when misused can cause
nausea, vomiting, shock convulsions, and coma. It can also
irritate the skin and the eyes.
Chemical Agents: For Laundry Use
Fabric conditioners, like laundry detergents, are made
out of cationic and anionic salts but instead of cleaning
stains and removing dirt from clothes, they have a
“softening” effect to fabrics that are otherwise feels hard
and rough to the skin if such conditioners are not used.
They also impart their fragrance to clothes.
Chemical Agents: For Laundry Use
Warning: Some people are sensitive to fabric
conditioners, particularly to the chemical and fragrance
used to make it, resulting in allergic reactions such as skin
swelling and itching, as well as rhinitis. Ingestion of high
amounts of such substance requires emergency attention.
Chemical Agents: For Laundry Use
Bleaches are used to whiten clothes. The strongest of
bleaches contain sodium hypochlorite, which can also
have disinfecting effects.
Warning: Sodium hypochlorite solution is corrosive to the
skin and lining of nose, mouth, and throat. Its fumes can
also irritate the eyes and respiratory tract.
Chemical Agents: For Utility
All-purpose cleaners (Lysol, Mr. Muscle, Domex are
common brands) have one of the following active
ingredients:
● ammonia
● ethylene glycol monobutyl acetate
● sodium hypochlorite
These active ingredients are effective against most
surfaces. Fragrances are added to mask their strong
chemical odor.
Chemical Agents: For Utility
Warning: When misused, all-purpose cleaners have the
following effects to the body according to active
ingredient;
● Ammonia - fumes can irritate the eyes and lungs; can
cause skin burns and rashes; can produce deadly
chloramine gas if mixed with chlorine-based cleaners.
● Ethylene glycol monobutyl acetate - poisonous if
swallowed which can cause damage to the heart,
kidneys, and brain. Inhalation can cause dizziness.
Chemical Agents: For Utility

● Sodium hypochlorite - causes irritation to mucous

membranes (lining of the nose, mouth, and throat).
Fumes when inhaled can irritate the eyes and
respiratory tract.
Chemical Agents: For Utility
Pet flea and tick treatments
and insecticides contain a
classification of poison called
carbamates and
organophosphates. These
active ingredients act directly to
the nervous system of insects
to eliminate them.
Chemical Agents: For Utility
Warning: Having a direct effect
to a living body’s nervous
system, organophosphates and
carbamates can cause
headache, dizziness, nausea,
and vomiting. Muscle twitching
and/or weakness can also
occur. These items can also
cause cancer.
Chemical Agents: For Kitchen Use
Dishwashing detergents have
cationic, anionic, or non-ionic
solutions which makes food particles,
grease, and other types of dirt cling to
them. Phosphate-based detergents
are dishwashing soaps intended for
automatic dishwasher use because
they are more efficient cleaners than
the usual detergents.
Chemical Agents: For Kitchen Use
Warning: Phosphate-based dishwashing detergents
are known pollutants of bodies of water, banning them in
some areas like the US and Europe. They are also harsh
chemicals which causes skin burns and irritations.
Detergents meant for hand dishwashing are milder to
the skin, but can still irritate the mouth, throat, and GI
tract.
Chemical Agents: For Kitchen Use
Oven cleaners are strongly
alkaline in nature to remove
grease and other caked food soil
or dirt material stuck on the
surfaces of ovens. Either the
active ingredient could be made
out of sodium hydroxide
(NaOH) or potassium
hydroxide (KOH).
Chemical Agents: For Kitchen Use
Warning: These chemicals are
extremely corrosive, which can
burn the skin and eyes. These
chemicals are fatal if they are
ingested. Cleaners in aerosol can
disperse chemicals which
increases inhalation dangers.
Chemical Agents: For Kitchen Use
Antibacterial surface cleaners have weak mixtures of
ammonia, detergents, and lye for cleaning. Their
antibacterial properties comes from cresol, phenol, and
pine oil.
Warning: Ingredients can cause the following, as
specified:
● Ammonia, detergents, and lye can irritate the skin
and the fumes can cause dizziness.
Chemical Agents: For Kitchen Use
● Cresol exposure due to ingestion can damage the
tissues such as liver, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, and
spleen.
● Phenol can cause CNS depression and affect the
circulatory system. Externally, it is very corrosive to the
skin.
● Pine oil can irritate the eyes and the mucous
membrane.
Chemical Agents: For Kitchen Use
Window and glass cleaners have ammonia and
isopropanol in them which makes them effective in
sensitive surfaces like glass.
Warning: Ammonia fumes can irritate the eyes and lungs;
skin contact can cause irritation; potentially deadly if
mixed with chlorine-based cleaners. Isopropanol if
ingested in high amounts can cause drowsiness which can
lead to unconsciousness and even death. It can irritate the
eyes and mucous membrane.
Chemical Agents: For Bathroom Use
Toilet bowl cleaners can be made from the following
active ingredients:
● Sodium bisulfate (NaHSO4) - forms sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
when exposed in water, which helps in removing dirt
and stains
● Oxalic acid (dicarboxylic acid; C2H2O4) - removes stains
on surfaces being a weak acid
Chemical Agents: For Bathroom Use
● 5-Dimethyldantoin - forms hypochlorite (ClO-) in water,
which is alkaline in nature. It disinfects and bleaches
the surface
● Hydrochloric acid - a strong acid used in cleaning
stains and other kinds of dirt that is hard to remove.
● Phenol - has disinfecting and antibacterial effects on
surfaces
Chemical Agents: For Bathroom Use
Warning: Harmful effects can happen with prolonged
exposure, as specified:
● Sodium bisulfate - because it forms sulfuric acid in
water, the acid can burn the skin.
● Oxalic acid - can damage the liver and kidneys when
ingested. It can also irritate the eyes and respiratory
tract, and corrode the mouth and stomach.
● 5-Dimethyldantoin - forms hypochlorite, which is
corrosive to the skin and mucous membranes.
Chemical Agents: For Bathroom Use
● Hydrochloric acid - is a highly corrosive acid, even the
fumes are considered dangerous. It can also burn the
skin.
● Phenol - can affect the CNS and the circulatory system
and is corrosive to the skin.
Chemical Agents: For Bathroom Use
Mold and mildew removers are
cleaning agents specifically used
to destroy mold and other kinds
of fungi growth in between tiles
and surfaces. They mostly contain
chlorine and alkyl ammonium
chlorides.
Chemical Agents: For Bathroom Use

Warning: Chlorine and alkyl

ammonium chlorides are known
to cause breathing problems
when inhaled. It can also burn the
throat when swallowed.
Chemical Agents: For Bathroom Use
Drain cleaners have lye or sulfuric
acid as their active ingredient
which clears clogged sink pipes
and other waterways at home.
Warning: Having highly caustic
active ingredients, these
substances can cause skin burns
and can even cause blindness
when splashed on the eyes.
Chemical Agents: For Bathroom Use
Drain cleaners have lye or sulfuric
acid as their active ingredient
which clears clogged sink pipes
and other waterways at home.
Warning: Having highly caustic
active ingredients, these
substances can cause skin burns
and can even cause blindness
when splashed on the eyes.