Air Freshener: Safe or Hazardous

Air quality is one of the most important factors when it comes to health, wellness and energy. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), around 75 percent of American homes used some form of air fresheners. Many manufacturers of air freshener do not include all their ingredients on their labels because they do not want you to know what is really in their air fresheners. Because of this, it is hard to tell if air fresheners are safe to use. In 2007, NRDC did a study by testing 14 different air fresheners sold at popular convenience stores, such as Walgreens. They found that 12 out of 14 air fresheners contained chemicals that could cause developmental and reproductive problems. The chemicals that got the most attention were phthalates, these chemicals have been linked to hormonal disruptions in animals. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), many household cleaners have petrochemicals, formaldehyde and aerosol pollutants.

Air fresheners may also have other hazardous chemicals, such as benzyl alcohol, formaldehyde, camphor, ethanol, naphthalene and artificial fragrance.

• Benzyle Alcohol: may cause respiratory failure, paralysis, hypotension and convulsions.
• Formaldehyde: is considered a carcinogen by the EPA. Studies have shown that long exposure to formaldehyde can cause nasopharyngeal cancer in humans. Formaldehyde can irritate the eye and skin, and is poisonous if swallowed.
• Camphor: is poisonous to humans and can cause seizures, neromuscular hyperactivity and even death when ingested.
• Ethanol: is toxic to the skin, respiratory, developmental, neurological and gastrointestinal systems.
• Naphthalene: is a carcinogen and can be poisonous if ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Exposure may damage red blood cells and cause vomiting, nausea, coloration of the skin and diarrhea. Naphthalene can also alter kidney function and cause damages to the cardiovascular and developmental systems.

Do air fresheners work?

• Air fresheners work as a temporary solution but they do more harm than good, even the ones listed as natural or unscented. Many of them interfere with our sense of smell by slowly destroying the nerve endings in our nose. Many of the chemicals found in air fresheners can cause asthma, allergies, birth defects and other health problems. Because of these negative effects, children and pregnant women should avoid them as much as possible. Air fresheners are the most dangerous when used in confined areas, such as a bedroom or inside a car. The fragrance from air fresheners do work but only for a short amount of time. For air quality, it does nothing to clean the air. To clean the air, open the window to allow fresh air in or use carbon-filter air purifiers.

Scented candle and plug-in

• Most traditional candles are made of paraffin wax and their fragrance is usually artificial. Scented candle may contain lead core wicks. When the wicks are burned, it can create unsafe lead concentrations in the air. Scented candle is also a fire hazard which is why it should be avoided the most. Plug-ins are just as bad because many of the chemicals found in scented sprayers are found in scented plug-ins too.

How to freshen your room without chemicals

• Use box of open baking soda in areas where odors are strong. Baking soda is well known for absorbing bad odor.
• To scent the kitchen and living room, boil a pot of water and add herbs or spices, such as rosemary, cinnamon and clove.
• Place fragrant plants such as lavender, lily, tulip, roses and lilac near open windows.
• Instead of floor cleaners, use white vinegar to clean floors. Vinegar is excellent at destroying odors. You can also put vinegar in cups and place them in rooms.
• Bake something that gives off fresh scent, like baked bread.
• Use beeswax candles instead of paraffin candles (not recommended because of fire hazard).

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