How to Clean Safely During Pregnancy

It can be so hard to keep up with all that you have to do when you are pregnant. Part of that difficulty is keeping yourself, and your baby, safe as you go through your various household chores. What products should you avoid? What products can you use safely? The good news is that most products are safe to use if you follow basic precautions (making sure the area is well-ventilated, wearing rubber gloves, etc.), and it's possible and even easy to clean safely during pregnancy.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Avoiding Certain Cleaning Products and Activities

1
Talk to your doctor. Whenever you have questions about what you should and shouldn't do during pregnancy, it's best to go to your doctor for answers. This is especially true if you have complicating factors with your pregnancy, which may mean that you need to take special care.
- Ask your doctor about cleaning products and cleaning techniques you should use. Your doctor may not know the answer to all of your questions off their top of their head; however, they should be able to do a little bit of research and get back to you with an educated answer.
- Keep in mind that most studies that suggest a link to pregnancy complications and environmental factors are inconclusive. While it is good to be cautious and err on the side of safety, anxiety over minor exposure to cleaning products is going to cause you unnecessary stress. Just be smart and safe about cleaning and talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.
2
Avoid certain cleaners. Most cleaners are perfectly safe for you to use during pregnancy so long as you use them properly. This means making sure you are cleaning in a well-ventilated area (windows and doors propped open to allow air flow), wearing rubber gloves, and never mixing products. There are, however, a few products that you should make a point to avoid.^{[1]XResearch source}These include:^{[2]XTrustworthy SourceCleveland ClinicEducational website from one of the world's leading hospitalsGo to source}
- Oven cleaning products: For one thing, the oven is poorly ventilated and you are bound to inhale fumes. For another, it can be difficult to physically get in the oven to clean it when you are pregnant.
- Pesticides: If you have bugs in your house, do not use spray to kill them. Instead, use bait and traps. It you live on a farm that uses pesticides, speak with your doctor. It is still okay to use most insect repellant you spray on your body: DEET bug sprays in concentrations up to 20% are considered safe and can be used to avoid mosquito-borne illnesses like Zika.
- Home dry cleaning products: It is very unlikely exposure to the chemicals in these products will cause any harm unless you work in a dry cleaning facility. Further, it is fine to have your clothes dry cleaned (though you may want to air them out first, as you may be sensitive to the smell of the products). If you want to use dry or spot cleaning products at home, just make sure the area is well-ventilated and you wear gloves and long sleeves.
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3
Never mix products. Cleaning products are chemicals and, unless you have a degree in chemistry, you may not be able to predict what the reaction may be. To be safe, just avoid mixing cleaning products together at all.
- For example, never mix ammonia with bleach. This creates a chemical reaction that produces fumes that can be very dangerous and can kill you.^{[3]XTrustworthy SourceCleveland ClinicEducational website from one of the world's leading hospitalsGo to source}
It is important to note that there is no proof that being exposed to mold during pregnancy will endanger you or your child. It is unlikely that you would ever be exposed to enough mold to cause any problems with your pregnancy. If you have a mold allergy, or if there is mold in a room that is not very well-ventilated (such as in your shower), ask your partner to clean it using bleach diluted with water.^{[4]XResearch source}
5
Avoid lifting or moving heavy furniture while cleaning. As a general rule, you don’t want to try moving any heavy furniture when you are pregnant. Find someone else to do any heavy lifting that you need done.
- This is not to say that you can't do anything while pregnant. It just means that you should avoid extreme physical exertion. If you have questions about the amount of physical activity you can do, discuss it with your physician.
- A good rule of thumb is to avoid lifting anything heavier than 20 pounds.
6
Take breaks as needed. It's important to take it relatively easy when you are cleaning while pregnant. Don't over do it and over exert yourself. Having a sparkling clean home is not worth pain or exhaustion.
- Give yourself permission to take as many breaks as you need to, which can be long or short.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Using Safe Cleaning Products

For example, always wear gloves when cleaning. Wear long-sleeves and maybe even an apron while you work to minimize exposure to your skin.
2
Always work in well-ventilated areas. While it is never great to deal with the strong smells of cleaners, the nausea associated with pregnancy can make even common cleaning smells overwhelming. To avoid this nausea, make sure the area you are working in is very well ventilated.
- If you cannot work in a ventilated area, or if you are dealing with something toxic even in a ventilated area, you need to wear a respirator so that you do not inhale something toxic.
3
Use safe cleaning products. The safest products you can use are those that contain only plant oils, such as Castile soaps, or other natural products, such as baking soda or vinegar. These products are often labeled as "natural" or "environmentally friendly" cleaning products, although you should always check the label to determine what exactly that means.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Remember, however, that you should have no problem using most cleaning products that are not "natural" as long as you follow normal safety guidelines (like wearing gloves and keeping your windows open to allow air flow in the room).
- Before using a cleaning product look on the label to make sure it contains only natural cleaning agents.
4
Always read the safety information on a product. You can find it either on the product's packaging or on the company’s website. If you can’t find this information, don’t use it.
- For many products you can get a Material Safety Data Sheets, or MSDS sheets, that contains information on the potential health hazards of the product. Products are given a ranking on a scale from “0” (least hazardous) to “4” (most hazardous). Use only products with a “0” or a “1” rating. Find a product's MSDS online by searching for the product’s name and “MSDS”.
- For example, the MSDS health ratings of bleach and Comet powder cleanser is 1. Heavy-duty oven cleaner, however, is rated at a 3.^{[6]XResearch source}
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Making Your Own Cleaning Products

1
Create an all-purpose cleaner. Mix ½ cup of water, ½ cup of vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Then add 15 drops of tea tree oil. Mix well and pour out as needed.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Use simple white vinegar. It’s cheaper than apple cider vinegar and cleans just as well.
- You can also place this cleaner into a spray bottle and use (carefully) as a spray.
- This can also be used to wash floors, unless they are ceramic or marble. Substitute a plant-oil soap for the vinegar for these floors.
2
Make a heavy-duty cleaner. Pour ¼ cup of a plant-based oil soap into a bowl. Add ¾ cup of baking soda. Mix well. Then add ⅛ cup of white vinegar. Mix and use as a scrub. If you want. Add some lavender or citrus essential oil for scent (two to four drops).
- Alternatively, you can mix 1 and ½ cup of baking soda and ½ cup of liquid soap. Mix. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Mix and use to scrub away the stains.^{[8]XResearch source}
3
Mix up your own toilet bowl cleaner. Sprinkle baking soda around the bowl as you would any other powder cleaner. Pour some white vinegar over the bowl brush and brush over the baking soda.^{[9]XResearch source}
- Let that sit for 20 – 30 minutes.
- Scrub again and flush.
4
Create a non-toxic furniture polish. Mix 1 cup of olive oil and ½ cup of lemon juice in a bowl or a bottle. Stir or shake well before applying to furniture.
- Wipe this furniture polish on with a soft, clean cloth.^{[10]XResearch source}
- To make sure this polish is compatible with your furniture, try it first on a spot that is not visible, such as the bottom or inside of the piece.
5
Whip up a glass and surface cleaner. Mix equal amounts of white vinegar and water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray onto the glass or surface. Wipe with a soft cloth or paper towel.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Depending on how often you clean your windows, you do not need to make much of this cleaner. A mixture of one cup of water and one cup of vinegar should last you quite awhile.
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