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GREEN LIVING COLUMN PENCINTA ALAM JULY 2013 NATURAL DISINFECTANTS AND DEODORISERS By Wong Ee Lynn Bacteria are a natural part of the ecosystem. Our attempts to keep our homes and families healthy should be with the goal of having a clean, pleasant-smelling place to live, where potentially hazardous bacteria are controlled by basic hygiene. A healthy human immune system can easily cope with normal household germs, and is in fact at greater risk from the chemicals used in many cleaning products. In recent years, we have seen a boom in anti-bacterial products, from kitchen sponges to dishwashing liquid. Not only can disinfectants be health risks in themselves, many disinfectants contain chemicals, such as triclosan, which can affect the central nervous system of humans and other mammals, and cause organ damage. Health and environmental experts caution against anti-microbial products (sponges, toys, soaps, washcloths, aerosol sprays) because: (1) They create a false sense of security and t...