Your wonderfully smelling home can wreak havoc on your health.
A small but growing body of research has shown links between scented household products and chronic diseases.
According to Dr. Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou of Columbia University, plug-in air fresheners are particularly bad.
She said the biggest problem is that they are “not strictly regulated, so there’s a wide range of ingredients and concentrations of ingredients in them.”
One of the most common ingredients are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), small chemicals that are emitted as gas into the air and seep into the lungs and bloodstream, irritating our cells.
In the short term, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that they can travel to the brain and cause dizziness, headaches, difficulty concentrating and visual disturbances.
In the long term, they are linked to heart and lung problems, fertility problems, hormonal imbalances and even cancer.
An increasing number of studies have revealed negative health outcomes surrounding scented household products
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Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio focused on the psychological effects of air fresheners and found evidence suggesting that synthetic fragrances used in the home can cause problems with attention, memory and mood in ‘sensitive persons’.
They highlighted common sources such as air freshener sprays, deodorant and hair sprays.
Dr. Claudia Miller, an allergist and immunologist who was part of the research team, said that “eliminating these (fragrant) products was essential to improving patients’ symptoms.”
Back up these claims Lynn Wendtan energy practitioner Michigansays she recently noticed something strange about the behavior of one of her friends.
She explains in a TikTok, which has been viewed more than 800,000 times, that the incident took place when she was staying at her friend’s house for the weekend.
She tells viewers, “I noticed my girlfriend was forgetting words. Like every tenth word, she had to stop and look for that word and that was a change in her.”
The only conclusion Ms. Wendt could draw was that her friend had plug-in air fresheners in her home and that these were “also new.”
She continues, “As I have studied and researched the brain and things that affect our memory and cognition, I know that chemicals in our world can cross the blood-brain barrier and change our brains, and I believe that is what happened to (my friend).”
She ends the clip with a PSA, concluding, “If you have those (plugging in air fresheners), get them out of your house, they can change your brain.”
No specific research has been done on plug-in air fresheners as all mass-made air fresheners in aerosol, spray, solid, candle or plug-in form contain the same set of ingredients.
In the comments section, Ms. Wendt outlines other potentially dangerous, scented household products.
According to her, scented candles can also cause health problems.
New York-based Dr. Mikhail Varshavski emphasizes that burning candles causes “a very low level of exposure” to a range of chemicals.
Lynn Wendt, a Michigan energy expert, says she recently noticed something strange in her friend’s behavior, which she linked to scented candles
He explains it in an article for medpagetoday.com: ‘A group of chemicals detected in those emissions are called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs for short.
‘Some VOCs, such as benzene or formaldehyde, are known carcinogens, meaning they can cause cancer. ‘
VOCs are used to give air fresheners a pleasant smell.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst notes that the “types and amounts of VOCs emitted depend primarily on the fragrance composition of the air freshener, and not on the type of air freshener.”
Dr. Varshavski then emphasizes that inhaling soot “can increase the risk of lung and other cancers and respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).”
The third harmful substance he highlights is phthalates or endocrine disruptors.
Dr. Mikhail Varshavski says there are chemicals that “can actually affect hormone levels and worsen allergy and asthma symptoms.”
‘Technically, phthalates are considered semi-VOCs. Phthalates are actually specific to scented candles.
‘They are used in synthetic fragrances, which give most scented candles their aroma.’
Another household product Ms. Wendt warns about in her TikTok clip is dryer sheets, saying they are “laced with chemicals.”
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) also advises against dryer sheets, which are placed in the laundry drum to reduce static electricity, soften laundry and add fragrance.
New York-based Dr. Mikhail Varshavski emphasizes that burning candles “creates a very low level of exposure” to a range of chemicals
The nonprofit says that “quaternary ammonium compounds, or quats, make clothes feel soft and wearable immediately after washing, but some are known to cause asthma and may be toxic to the reproductive system.”
Like scented candles, scented fabric softeners contain a mix of chemicals to create certain scents that “may cause allergies, skin irritations such as dermatitis, and (and) breathing difficulties.”
Phthalates are also used to make dryer sheets, and an article in the September issue of Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism highlights that these chemicals can have a harmful impact on reproductive health.
The researchers write: ‘Phthalates can disrupt the growth pattern of follicles, increase oxidative stress and cause follicle death.
‘These effects can lead to infertility, faster depletion of ovarian reserve and earlier reproductive aging.’
The EWG recommends looking for the EWG Verified mark on laundry products and looking for safer fabric softeners.
And when it comes to air fresheners, the Natural Resources Defense Council—a New York-based environmental organization—has some tips for safer use.
It says: ‘Consumers should avoid using air fresheners, but should use products with the lowest levels of phthalates when necessary to limit exposure to toxic chemicals.’
In an attempt to discourage use all together, it adds: ‘Air fresheners are rarely needed. Since they cannot replace good ventilation, the best solution is to open windows to bring in fresh air or use fans to maintain air circulation.
‘Air fresheners are also not a solution for poor air quality; they mask bad odors, but don’t eliminate the chemicals that cause them.’