The Incredible Cleaning Power of Citric Acid

Citric Acid’s Place In Cleaning History

Citrus has been used as a cleaning agent throughout the ages. Greeks and Romans kept it on hand for when things needed a good scrub, and ancient Egyptians knew about its cleansing qualities, too.   

Citric acid was discovered in the 7th century, and in 1784, Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Steele successfully isolated citric acid from lemon juice. In the late 1800s, it was discovered that the compound could be created from sugar. By the mid-1900s, citric acid had transformed into a commercially produced ingredient that industrial companies used to dissolve rust from steel. 

Eventually, citric acid made its way into homes as the workhorse of everyday cleaners. Unfortunately, many cleaning products you’ll find at the store replace this plant-based high achiever with toxins like ammonia, sodium hypochlorite (bleach), and toxic surfactants. 

The Problem with Harsh Chemical Cleaners 

Where do we begin? Common disinfectants and toilet bowl cleaners include toxic chemicals you don’t want around your family or pets. 

When these chemicals come into contact with the skin, they can cause chemical burns, blisters, redness, itching, and irritation. (There’s a reason most household cleaners recommend wearing gloves when using them.) Plus, harsh chemicals wipe out both bad and good bacteria, eliminating the microorganisms that help protect your loved ones from dangerous viruses and pathogens.

Using bleach also exposes your family to harmful chemical ingredients known to cause trouble breathing, blurred vision, and chest tightness. Prolonged exposure can even increase the risk of some cancers. 

When combined with organic matter like feces and urine, harsh chemicals like bleach can emit vapors, which can cause irritation and inflammation in the eyes, nose, and respiratory tract, as well as coughing. 

Additives you’ll find in disinfectants also include toxic fragrances and harsh surfactants. And if harmful chemical cleaners are in your home, there’s always a risk of accidental poisoning. 

When Fido inevitably drinks out of the toilet bowl, toxic residue could put your pet’s health at risk. Household cleaning substances are also the second most common poison exposure in children, making up 10.7% of all pediatric calls for children under 6 years old.