These cleaning products have become familiar in our homes and are used every day to clean our interiors. Household products, each one supposedly more effective than the last. However, researchers are now warning that they emit many dangerous chemicals.
They are used to clean our homes. To clean our homes and our air. In a study published in Chemosphere, researchers from the Environmental Working Group (USA) argue that some of these everyday household products can release hundreds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This could make them completely counterproductive.
VOCs are chemical substances that can affect the quality of the air we breathe. Even inside our homes. They can come from cigarette smoke, gas stoves or faulty wood-burning stoves. They are also emitted by paints and floor coverings. And in quantity, therefore, from our cleaning products.
The study was carried out on 30 cleaning products tested, and the researchers identified 530 volatile organic compounds, including no less than 193 VOCs known to be potentially hazardous to human health. They can cause damage to the respiratory system, increase the risk of cancer or impact development. And some remain in the air in our homes for days, even weeks or months.
Clearly, organic products are better, and researchers have shown that products labelled “green” emit half as many VOCs as others. Even better for “green” and fragrance-free products. They emit eight times fewer volatile organic compounds than conventional products. And four times less, in fact, than other “green” products. When it comes to VOCs classified as hazardous, the trend is the same.
On average, four were identified in fragrance-free “green” household products, around 15 in other “green” products and up to 22 in conventional products.
Household products are a major source of pollution in our homes.
There is a list of 46 toxic cleaning products that are sources of indoor pollution. These include sanitizing sprays, deodorizers, anti-mite products and disinfectants.
https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/cleaning-tips/tips/a1492/dangerous-household-items/
English