Pregnancy is not an excuse to spend the nine months with your feet up - as much as we would like! Unfortunately, older kids need to be taken care of, jobs need to be attended and houses need to be cleaned.

 

And while you can continue as you have been doing for the most part, there are a few things that you should be extra vigilant of, like using household cleaning products.

 

Most are safe to use during pregnancy, however, it is important to be careful and bear the following dos and don’ts in mind when doing any cleaning:

 

Dos:

                                                   

1. Do make sure the area that you are cleaning is well ventilated; keep windows and doors open at all times, and if you have a fan in the room, do turn that on as well.

 

2. Do protect your skin from the harsh chemicals by wearing gloves and protective clothing.

 

3. Do limit your exposure by wearing a mask, if possible.  As a general rule, avoid using anything that smells too harsh or strong.

 

4. Do use as many natural products as possible. Baking soda, vinegar and soap and water are sometimes enough to clean certain areas, so try to use an alternative if possible.

 

5. Do read the warning labels on everything just to be sure it is safe to use.

 

 

Don’ts:

 

1. Don’t clean the oven during your pregnancy as it is such a small space with very little ventilation. Oven cleaner is also really dangerous to breathe in, even if you aren’t expecting.

 

2. Don’t take any risks; if the product says ‘do not use when pregnant’ avoid it at all costs.

 

3. Don’t mix products together - in particular ammonia and bleach - as apart from making you feel sick, it can create toxins that are really dangerous to you and your baby.

 

4. Don’t use anything that you feel uncomfortable with even if it is ok to use – always trust your instincts.

 

5. Don’t use anything that has ‘toxic’, ‘corrosive’ or  ‘dangerous’ written on the label, even if you never had any problems using it before. 

 

 

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