How Air Freshener Could Be Killing You

Do you wish to know why your are always tired, why your immune system is down, and why you and your loved ones come up with mystery illnesses and “genetic” disorders? You may find a clue in your household products, medicine cabinet, tap water, your food and in your air fresheners. Sadly, the remaining chemicals from deodorizing and cleaning products usually result in accidental poisoning to individuals who are supposedly being protected. Some harmful chemicals build-up in the body over time; hence the health consequences are infrequently ascribed to them. The victims oftentimes suffer from an odd form of cancer, or from a new-age disease, such as chronic fatigue syndrome. Of course, the ever popular “genetic disorders” continue to plague people these days.

But What’s In These Air Fresheners?

The EPA1 says that air fresheners have 4 main ingredients, namely petroleum distillates, p-dichlorobenzene, aerosol propellants and formaldehyde.

Petroleum Distillates are manufactured from petrochemicals that contributes to groundwater, soil and air pollution. This ingredient can cause:

• Asthma
• Pulmonary damage
• Chemical pneumonia
• Respiratory problems.

P-dichlorobenzene is usually found in mothballs. Prolonged exposure to this chemical can cause:

• Anemia
• Changes to blood
• Damage to the liver
• Loss of appetite
• Skin lesions.

Aerosol propellants are one of the many chemicals that harm the ozone layer. At the same time, they can harm us by:

• Increasing our risk of cancer
• Causing breathing problems
• Developing chronic health problems.

Formaldehyde can cause quite a few health issues like:

• Asthma attacks
• Breathing difficulty
• Watery eyes
• Nausea
• Burning of nose, throat, eye and other mucous membranes.

Are Products with “Natural” Label Safe Enough for Use?

Deodorizing products that are labeled,”natural” aren’t necessarily organic. Some of them contain toxic ingredients like phthalates that can accumulate in the fatty tissue and  liver over time. Exposure to phthalate is linked to reproductive damage and low sperm counts. In a study conducted in 2007 by the  Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), 14 various brands of home air freshener products that are labeled “natural” and “unscented,” were found to be containing toxic chemicals that could disrupt hormones and create reproductive problems. So, how would you know if you’re buying the right air freshener product? Well, verifying ingredients will most likely help in this situation.

Ten Best Air Freshener Alternatives

Fighting that little stale you smell in your home is possible without using air fresheners. OHM suggests the following alternatives:

1. Just simply open your windows. Nothing beats fresh air and good ventilation when it comes to naturally getting rid of indoor smells.
2. Use odour absorbers. You may be surprised, but your kitchen has items you can use as a neutral absorbent like baking soda. Mixing baking soda and vinegar together makes a perfect fusion of natural absorbent, which you can sprinkle on smelly areas, like your garbage can, to neutralize the odour.
3. Make your own spray and wipe. Tap that DIY side in you and make your own spray or wipe using vinegar.
4. Use cotton balls. Get a cotton ball or two and soak them in vanilla. Put them in a bowl and place it in any part of your home that you want to smell good.
5. Another use of vinegar. For cooking odours, eliminate them by simply putting a small bowl of vinegar right on the scent or somewhere near the source of the smell.
6. Make your own potpourri. Collect dried flowers, bulk herbs, and spices and just simply mix and leave them in a bowl for a while before you place them in a pouch and hang.
7. Create a pomander. For a home-made bag of sweet scent, screw white cloves right into an orange and treat it for an hour in the oven over low heat. Another way to do this is to put the studded orange in a paper bag and leave it for 6 weeks in a place that’s dry and cool. Hang it in the area you want to smell good.
8. Make a zesty smell. De-stink your garbage bin by putting citrus peel in it.
9. Use spices. On a stovetop, simmer spices like nutmeg, cloves and whole cinnamon.
10. Use essential oils. Aside from using them as massage oils, you use them to dab onto your home furnishing for a gentle scent.