Air Fresheners, Heaven Sent or Hell Bent?
The decision to spray
Bad news for all you scent lovers out there - pretty much anything you spray into the air, including air fresheners, reduces air quality. In fact, contrary to what some helpful companies have led you to believe, it’s best not to spray anything at all. Steer clear if the product claims to neutralize odors or kill germs, even if it smells like vanilla mint chocolate chip cookie dough (we made that one up, but it would probably smell really yummy).
Air fresheners work in a number of ways, combating offending smells by trying to overpower them with chemicals, releasing a nerve-deadening agent which can eventually reduce your ability to smell and coating the inside of your nose with an oily film.
A few of the perps:
Formaldehyde - It’s exactly what you’re thinking, the stuff they use to embalm corpses. Aside from that ick factor, this volatile organic compound (VOC) is a suspected cancer causer in humans. There’s a good chance it’s in what you’re spraying (or plugging in); it might already be floating around your home, seeping into fabrics to leech out later. It can cause watery eyes, irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, fatigue and rashes, as well as difficulty breathing for some when at elevated levels (above .1 ppm), potentially triggering asthma attacks. There is evidence sensitivity can be developed.
Pesticides - Now you’ve got to be thinking we’re crazy, but the truth is, pesticide components, like the commonly used naphthalene, make their way into a number of “air freshening” products. Para-dichlorobenzene, for one, is an active ingredient in many air fresheners and usually found in moth repellants. It’s known to cause cancer in animals but there is uncertainty over its long-term effects on humans. Products containing it ironically bear warnings like “avoid breathing vapors.”
Fragrance - Ah … fragrance, such a lovely sounding name; there’s no way this additive could be harmful. Think again. Chronic inhalation of products containing toluene can irritate the upper respiratory tract and eyes, and cause sore throat, dizziness, headache and difficulty sleeping, while acute exposure can cause sleepiness, headaches and nausea with some higher levels of exposure causing central nervous system depression, cardiac arrhythmia and even death. It’s also often found in household cleaners and laundry detergent.
All-in-all, it might be a good idea to hold off on the air fresheners. Open a few windows instead, or install a good ventilation system. Even the so-called natural air fresheners, while avoiding the toxic chemicals just mentioned, aren’t really freshening your air. Remember, a truly clean home doesn’t have a smell!
