A Finnish-led research report in 2024 analysed 77 studies into the health effects of household cleaning products, concluding that they adversely affect respiratory health.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, people began using 75% more household cleaning products in and around homes. However, this also increases our exposure to harmful chemical air contaminants and particulate matter.
Should we worry about the household cleaning products we use? Should we be extra careful when using them, and monitor the amounts we are exposed to?
The report detailed various studies showing how cleaning sprays in particular increase the risk of developing or triggering asthma in adults, with a link between exposure to cleaning products during pregnancy and persistent wheezing in early childhood.
This is due to cleaning products containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause ear, nose and throat irritation a, particularly in children, who breathe faster than adults. We should be especially wary of inhaling chlorine, ammonia, hydrochloric acid, chloramine and sodium hydroxide, corrosive and reactive irritants that can damage tissues at a cellular level.
What about natural and 'green' cleaning products?
The recent volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause ear, nose and throat irritation, supposedly better for the environment, does have merit. A 2024 review concluded that ‘green products’ with only biodegradable ingredients do seem less harmful than conventional ones.
However, lead author Pacheco Da Silva noted that there's no standard definition for "green" cleaning products, while Nicola Carslaw, Professor of Indoor Air Chemistry at the UK’s University of York, was quoted recently as saying that so-called ‘green’ cleaning sprays aren't necessarily any better because our bodies cannot differentiate between natural and manmade ingredients.
"With a lemon-scented cleaning product, for example, it doesn't matter if the scent is lemon or factory-made, it's the same compound when it's released into the air," she says. The compound in lemon is limonene which, when it undergoes chemical reactions, can produce formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.
So how should we clean our homes?
On its website The American Lung Association advises keeping the area to be cleaned well ventilated, and to avoid using irritant ingredients.
Another way to lower the risk to our health is to use liquid cleaners rather than sprays, as aerosols are much easier to breathe in, and to use ‘green’ or ‘natural’ products with minimal added fragrances.
Another addition that should become a household staple while cleaning is an air pollution detector, such as AirGuard’s Ada.
This measures Volatile Organic Compounds (and Particulate Matter) present in the air, and although these compounds are measured in their entirety as opposed to individually, AirGuard’s Ada will provide actionable insights into your need for ventilation.