Why Air Freshener in Your Home May Not Be Safe

Summer is coming to a close and so are your windows. The fresh air may leave, but that doesn't mean your home can't smell fresh. There are plenty of fragrances that give your home a nature, fruity, perfume or baked foods smell. People enter your home and sniff at the wonderful smell. However, have you ever wondered if there's any damage to the environment and your lungs with using plug-in air fresheners?

In a study completed by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the 2006 results found that air fresheners may include 1,4 dichlorobenzene (1,4 DCB), which can affect lung functionality. The volatile organic compound (VOC) is also found in pesticides, paints, cleaning products and tobacco smoke. Products that affect breathing are especially dangerous for someone who has asthma. LungUSA.org specifies using unscented products and avoiding strong smells or using a fan to avoid asthma.

In a study on Alive.com, a mother took her daughter to the doctor to find out why she was becoming so nauseous and dizzy. Instead of a cold, it was really the air freshener. According to the site, air freshener includes "paradichlorobenzene, a white solid crystal that has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals, and phenol, also known as carbolic acid, which is flammable, corrosive, and very toxic."

It's no secret that plug-ins contain a flammable ingredient. That's the way they burn into the air. They're plugged into an electric outlet and slowly the chemicals inside release into the air. When all the flammable liquid inside is empty, then the scent is no longer smelled. But have you ever kept a plug-in plugged in too long? Remnants of it will start to burn and drip on the outside even if it's connected correctly. This can easily happen if the plug-in is not in a visible area (ex. behind a couch).

So what should you do to avoid toxic chemicals blowing into your home environment? How do you avoid the toxins in the air? Consider using a diffuser instead of a plug-in. Alive.com suggests diffusers that include "essential oil and not essential fragrance, botanical essence, or natural perfume because those oils may contain hormones, vitamins, antibiotics, and antiseptics."

It's also a good idea to research a product before you buy it to see if meets environmental requirements. For example, an FAQ on Glade's website asks, "Do Glade® Aerosols contain CFCs?" Glade confirms that their products, in addition to all other SC Johnson aerosols, haven't used chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) since 1975. What is CFC? It's a gaseous compound that's believed to be a major cause of stratospheric ozone depletion. On NASA's website, an increase in UV rays can result in smog. Products like Glade state that if products are used correctly, they are not hazardous to your health. The site goes on to state, "there is no evidence supporting a significant risk to human health from the use of air fresheners under normal conditions."

Sources:

"Asthma Awareness Month, How to Control Factors Leading to Asthma Attacks"

"Asthma Triggers" (LungUSA.org)

"Chemical in Many Air Fresheners May Reduce Lung Function"