Are you a die-hard green cleaner? Well, if you’ve been following our blog, White Lotus is a green cleaning company. We use eco-friendly house cleaning products safe for you and the environment. Want to learn what’s really in your cleaning products and the health effects associated with hazardous toxins you may be breathing in?
Household Cleaning Products Exposed
According to an article at health.usnews.com,
“Recent research suggests that exposure to cleaning products or air fresheners that contain a certain volatile organic compound (VOC) called 1,4 dicholorobenzene (1,4 DCB), can reduce lung function by 4 percent. Another study found that the use of spray household cleaners could increase the risk of developing asthma by nearly 50 percent.
Yet a third study, reported by University of Washington researchers this week in the journal Environmental Impact Assessment Review, found that the fumes from air fresheners and fragrances contain hazardous toxins, none of which were listed on product labels since companies are not required by the federal government to disclose the ingredients in these products.
“I don’t think everybody’s getting asthma from air fresheners and house cleaners, but this suggests that more research needs to be done,” said Dr. Jennifer Appleyard, chief of allergy and immunology at St. John Hospital in Detroit.
Most people with asthma instinctively avoid these types of products, said Dr. David Rosenstreich, director of the division of allergy and immunology at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. But, he added, the study on VOCs “suggests that other people should probably avoid them, especially considering the way we live in our homes today, tightly wrapped inside, so that if there are any chemicals present, we’re constantly breathing them in.”
VOCs are found in cleaning products, paints, tobacco smoke and other household chemicals, according to the study, which appeared in a recent issue of Environmental Health Perspectives. Benzene and acetone are two commonly used VOCs. The volatile organic compound known as 1,4 DCB is the chemical that gives mothballs their distinctive odor. It’s also found in room deodorizers, insecticides and in urinal blocks.
While it’s known that perfumes and chemical products can trigger asthma, researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences reviewed data from nearly 1,000 adults who provided information on VOC exposure for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
They found an average decrease in lung function of 4 percent was associated with exposure to 1,4 DCB.”
Reliable Green Cleaning Company
If you are in need of cleaning company that uses safe and eco-friendly house cleaning products, consider White Lotus Exquisite Home Cleaning. Contact us at (775)856-2345 to learn more about the house cleaning products we use!
