Generations Used It For Decades — Now This Cleaning Chemical Could Be Banned

Trichloroethylene (TCE) was a revelation when it was first synthesized in 1864. People started using it as a dry cleaning solvent, a defatting agent for soybeans, and even a general anesthetic. They soon found that TCE was an effective degreaser, and partly because of this ability, it became a much-used household cleaning agent. It was also a common additive in paint thinners, spot removers, and insecticides. Like many chemicals and substances, such as asbestos and lead, people used it freely because they didn't know it was harmful.

After many years of studying this chemical, the EPA announced its intention to ban it in December, 2024, and issued a press release that stated: "TCE is an extremely toxic chemical known to cause liver cancer, kidney cancer, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. TCE also causes damage to the central nervous system, liver, kidneys, immune system, reproductive organs, and fetal heart defects. These risks are present even at very small concentrations." Besides TCE, the EPA's ban also included perchloroethylene (PCE), a similar chemical with similar health hazards, and asbestos, a carcinogenic mineral. On May 5, 2026, the EPA announced a postponement pending judicial review by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Although the rule banning TCE is still being reviewed, it's clear that nearly all consumer uses will be eliminated when it goes into effect. That means household products like carpet and rug cleaners, spot removers, specialty paints and paint removers, adhesives, and lubricants will be impacted. If you have older cleaning products sitting on your shelves at home, some of them may contain TCE, but newer ones may not contain it. The rule has been on the horizon for some time, so many manufacturers have been preparing for it by searching for and using less harmful alternatives. For example, MicroCare now markets several TCE- and PCE-free cleaning fluids. 

Whether or not the court allows the ban to go into effect, the hazards of TCE are now apparent, and consumers have an easier time staying safe from hidden toxins in cleaning products. Maybe that awareness is even better than a rule.