Household products

Cleaning products

Pregnant women can safely use common household cleaning products like dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent, window cleaner, and all-purpose cleaning products.

Corrosive products such as bleach and oven cleaners can irritate (and even burn) the respiratory tract, but do not harm your baby if inhaled in low concentrations.

Heavy-duty cleaning products and air fresheners that contain solvents release toxic substances. As a precaution, you should only use such products when absolutely necessary.

It is important to always read and follow product instructions.

Paint and paint remover

Most interior paints are latex based, which means they are thinned with water. Latex paints are considered safe during pregnancy if you are only exposed to them on an occasional basis.

Avoid using oil-based paints as they contain solvents that are harmful to the fetus. It is unlikely, however, that you will harm your baby by spending a short period of time (up to a few hours) in a room that has been freshly painted, especially if the room has been well ventilated.

Avoid stripping paint using a sander or paint remover. You could expose yourself to lead contained in old paint or to the toxic chemical products contained in paint remover.


Fetus: Developmental stage of a human being in its mother’s womb, from 10 weeks of pregnancy until birth.