The Crucial Safety Measure You Should Take When Cleaning With Bar Keepers Friend
Bar Keepers Friend is a powerful cleaning tool that has been used for over a century in countless ways around the home. However, the powder may not be as harmless as you might think. When working with this cleanser, it's important to protect your skin by wearing gloves. Bar Keepers Friend is also harmful if it's inhaled or if it gets in your eyes, so wearing goggles and a mask is also a good idea.
Because it's capable of removing rust, calcium scale, soap scum, mineral deposits, and tarnishing, Bar Keepers Friend is a great cleaning staple to keep on hand. It's also safe to use on a wide variety of surfaces, including porcelain, ceramic, glass, stainless steel, tile, formica, and several metals, making it useful throughout your entire house. Not only can Bar Keepers Friend make your bathroom and kitchen sparkle, but it can even help you successfully clean burnt pots and pans. Because it is so strong, it's crucial to ensure that you're using it properly and taking precautions to keep yourself safe while cleaning with Bar Keepers Friend.
Put on gloves before using this product
If you're trying to clean your bathtub or renew rusted stainless steel with Bar Keepers Friend, you'll want to be sure you're taking preventative measures to protect your health. The easiest step is to simply throw on a pair of latex or rubber gloves so that your skin does not come into contact with the cleanser as you're scrubbing. Though the Bar Keepers Friend website states that gloves aren't necessary unless you have sensitive skin or are cleaning for a long period of time, it's better to be safe than sorry. They also point out that it can create a stinging sensation on any wounds you may have on your hands, so you can avoid this as well by wearing gloves. Further, after use, ensure you wash your hands thoroughly.
Since this product can also cause damage to your eyes, it may be best to wear eye goggles while cleaning, especially if you tend to accidentally splash yourself. Face masks or respirators could also protect against inhaling the powder when you're applying it, though this can also be mitigated by wetting the powder. Mild skin or eye irritation are the most likely effects of contact with this cleanser. Before you clean with Bar Keepers Friend, be sure to check the instructions to ensure you're using the product safely and correctly.
How the ingredients of Bar Keepers Friend can be harmful
Though many people clean with Bar Keepers Friend without putting on a pair of gloves first, this can cause skin irritation. This is because the ingredient that makes the cleaner so effective, oxalic acid, is corrosive. Though the oxalic acid used in Bar Keepers Friend is often derived from natural ingredients such as vegetables, that doesn't mean it won't harm you. In fact, oxalic acid can burn both your eyes and your skin. Additionally, this ingredient will hurt your throat, nose, and lungs if inhaled. Other symptoms of exposure include nausea, dizziness, headache, and vomiting.
Though oxalic acid is the main agitator inside Bar Keepers Friend, the surfactant used in the product also comes with some health concerns. Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate is also capable of irritating the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. It's also sometimes used in pesticides, showing how harmful it can be. Because of these ingredients, it's imperative to take the recommended safety measures when cleaning with Bar Keepers Friend.