The Low Down on Air Fresheners: Is Your Air Freshener Safe?

Most people with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) know that air fresheners are bad for our health. However, few give MCS victims the time of day when it comes to alternatives to air fresheners to make public places accessible and few realize that air fresheners are bad for everyone, not just those with MCS, asthma, and other respiratory disorders.

A 2006 study at the University of Colorado and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston concluded that air-freshening chemicals may lead to the formation of cancerous cells by suppression of the enzymes that are essential for regulating normal cell death (Air-freshening chemicals may lead to cancerous cells, 2006). This is just one example of the negative effects of air fresheners. There are many acute toxic effects of fragranced products including, but not limited to, neurotoxicity, sensory irritation, pulmonary irritation, decreasing expiratory airflow velocity, and alterations of functional observational battery (Anderson & Anderson, 2006).

The presence of these toxicants in the community is also putting the public at risk of developing chemical sensitivities (CS) or other environmental illness (EI). The truth is that no one is immune to EI/CS. Something as simple as organophosphate exposures, pesticides, solvents, indoor air pollutants, and potentially other acute and/or chronic low level exposures including petroleum products such as air fresheners are potential initiating stressors that may begin the peroxynitrite and nitric oxide (NO/ONOO) cycle of biochemistry leading to chemical sensitivities, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue (Pall, 2006).

Air fresheners and plug-ins don't actually freshen the air or eliminate odors. Rather, they permeate the air with a powerful synthetically derived chemical fragrance to cover up odors (Fleming, 2005). They also contain chemicals designed to numb our sense of smell by deadening our nerves (Fleming, 2005). In other words, they add more odors in an attempt to mask lack of cleanliness at the expense of human health.

Many toxicant chemicals are emitted during air-freshener use including "d-limonene, dihydromyrcenol, linalool, linalyl acetate, and beta-citronellol which were emitted at 35-180 mg/day over 3 days while air concentrations averaged 30-160 microg/m3" in a recent study (Singer et al, 2006). Maternal depression is also significantly associated with air fresheners (Farrow et al, 2003). Glade, which contains short chain aliphatic hydrocarbons, can cause ventricular fibrillation and be fatal if inhaled (LoVecchio & Fullton, 2001). In a 1997 study emissions of "air freshener at several concentrations (including concentrations to which many individuals are actually exposed) caused increases in sensory and pulmonary irritation, decreases in airflow velocity, and abnormalities of behavior measured by the functional observational battery score" (Anderson & Anderson, 1997).

Cleaning removes the source of odor. If something is clean there is no odor nor is there a fragrance. Often visible dirt can be seen despite fragrances in the air indicating the area is fragranced and dirty rather than clean and fresh.

The use of air fresheners is an unfortunate and uneducated practice gleaned on people by the manufacturer and media focus on the “germ scare.” One such example is a commercial which announced scientific studies found more germs on a computer keyboard in an office than on a public toilet seat. The implication was that everyone watching needed to run out to buy a disinfectant spray. On closer examination, the public is grossly misled by this commercial. How often do office workers eat at their desks while typing? Probably at least once a day. How often do they clean the key board? Probably almost never. Yet a public toilet is cleaned at least once a day with strong disinfectants. The mere frequency of cleaning clearly establishes why there are more germs on a keyboard. If the keyboard was cleaned daily like the public toilet chances are fewer germs would be found. However, the manufacturer did not want us to know that. They only wanted us to buy their product and, like many advertising schemes, resorted to trickery and deceit to increase sales at the unfortunate expense of human health.

There are many inexpensive alternatives to freshen the air. Fresh air begins with clean air that is not full of the chemical toxicants sold in most stores. If odors are present removing the odor is the goal rather than masking it with other strong chemical laden toxicants and nerve deadening agents.

For healthy ways to clean see: http://www.mcs-america.org/general.pdf

Once the area is clean some ways to absorb and remove odors and further freshen the air include:

White Distilled Vinegar

Place in spray bottle and spray in the air as needed to eliminate odors.

Baking Soda

Place ¼ cup of baking soda in a spray bottle of warm water.

Shake and spray in the air as needed.

Carpets Freshener

Sprinkle baking soda, work it in with a broom or brush, and vacuum like any carpet powder

If you like scents around the home or office it is easy to grow your own flowers and put a bouquet in each room. They will add a nice fragrance to any room. Be careful to avoid commercially grown flowers as they may be sprayed with harmful pesticides, dyes, and fragrances without your knowledge.

To fresher and safer air!

References:

Air-freshening chemicals may lead to cancerous cells (2006) Denver Post. Nation: World News. Retrieved May 15, 2006 from: http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_3823832

Anderson, RC, & Anderson, JH (1998) Toxic effects of air freshener emissions. Archives of Environmental Health. 52(6):433-41.

Anderson, RC, & Anderson, JH (1998) Acute toxic effects of fragrance products. Archives of Environmental Health. 53(2):138-46.

Farrow, A, Taylor, H, Northstone, K, Golding, J (2003). Symptoms of mothers and infants related to total volatile organic compounds in household products. Archives of Environmental Health. 58(10):633-41.

Fleming, J (2005). Let's Clear the Air About Air Fresheners and Plug-Ins. MCS Global. Retrieved from: http://mcs-america.org/airfresh.pdf

Gibson, P (2005). Understanding & accommodating people with multiple chemical sensitivity in everyday living. Houston, TX: Independent Living Research Utilization.

Lovechio, F, & Fullton, SE (2001). Ventricular fibrillation following inhalation of Glade Air Freshener. European Journal of Emergency Medicine. 8(2):153-4.

Meggs, WJ, Dunn, KA, Bloch, RM, Goodman, PE, & Davidoff, AL (1996). Prevalence and nature of allergy and chemical sensitivity in a general population. Environmental Health Perspectives. 51(4), 275-82.

Pall, M (2006). Novel disease paradigm produces explanations for a whole group of illnesses. Washington State University, Department of Biochemistry and Basic Medical Sciences, Retrieved December 3, 2006, from: http://molecular.biosciences.wsu.edu/Faculty/pall/pall_main.htm

Singer, BC, Destaillats, H, Hodgson, AT, Nazaroff, WW (2006). Cleaning products and air fresheners: emissions and resulting concentrations of glycol ethers and terpenoids. Indoor Air. 16(3):179-91.

About the Author

Lourdes Salvador is a writer and social advocate based in Hawaii. She is the president of MCS America and a featured monthly writer for MCS America News at www.mcs-america.org. She is a passionate advocate for the homeless, having worked with her local governor to open new shelters and provide services to the homeless based on a presentation of her ideas. That passion soon turned to advocacy and activism for victims of multiple chemical sensitivity. For more information about Lourdes and her advocacy work, please visit: www.mcs-america.org, www.thetruthaboutmcs.blogspot.com, and www.cafepress.com/mcsamerica.

Copyrighted © 2007 Lourdes Salvador