Between our kids, our pets and our busy schedules, life can get messy – and stinky! If athletic equipment, wet dog fur, and stale car interiors are making you want to reach for an air freshening product, you’re not alone! Air fresheners like sprays plugins and potpourri are a $10 billion industry and, sadly, a very poorly regulated one. So, before you reach for that fresh scented spray bottle, here is some important information you need to know about the dangers of conventional air freshener products and how you can use a natural air freshener to reduce risk to your family.
3 Reasons You Should Switch To A Natural Air Freshener
1. Conventional Air Fresheners Are Air Pollutants
Conventional air fresheners are indoor air pollutants due to the release of toxic chemicals into our indoor environments. These chemicals, like Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), can lead to respiratory diseases like migraines, allergies, irritation, and impaired lung function, as well as chronic conditions like COPD, asthma, and lung and other cancers. A study found that about a quarter of the VOCs emitted by air freshener products are considered potentially hazardous or toxic under US law, and every product tested contained at least one of these.
2. Manufacturers Obscure Ingredients
Manufacturers can use the term “Fragrance” to obscure hundreds of ingredients, including phthalates, which have been linked to a laundry list of health hazards including cancer and birth defects. Studies have shown that air freshener labels typically disclose less than 10% of all volatile ingredients on air freshener labels, and some of these ingredients are odorless solvents, making them difficult to detect.
In one example, an air freshener product label discloses only “fragrance, essential oils,” actually was found to contain the following VOCs: d-limonene; 4-tert-butylcyclohexyl acetate; acetaldehyde; benzyl acetate; 2,7-dimethyl-2,7-octanediol; acetone; ethanol; carene isomer; citronellyl acetate; hexanal; 2,4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxaldehyde (Triplal 1); allyl heptanoate; methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-cyclohexane; ethyl butanoate; 3-hexen-1-ol; o, m, or p-cymene; alpha-pinene. Of these compounds, four (acetaldehyde, acetone, ethanol, alpha-pinene) are classified as toxic or hazardous under federal laws; further, acetaldehyde is classified as a carcinogenic hazardous air pollutant, with no safe threshold of exposure, according to the EPA.
3. Lack of Regulation & “Greenwashing”
The cleaning product category as a whole is poorly regulated with only 300 of over 62,000 ingredients even having been tested. Even worse, recent studies have compared the risk from daily exposure to conventional cleaning chemicals to smoking 20 cigarettes a day. Claims like natural, non-toxic, green and organic are generally meaningless or poorly regulated, so they can’t be trusted.
The Good News: A Natural Air Freshener That Really Works!
As fellow humans (and parents of tiny humans) we get that you need your house to not smell like a barn without exposing your whole family to toxic chemicals. That’s why we created Force of Nature, a revolutionary cleaning system and EPA-registered disinfectant that is free from toxic chemicals, residues and fumes. Starting with just salt, vinegar, and water, this small household appliance uses electricity to create a cleaning solution that kills 99.9% of germs, including the ones causing odors in your car, laundry hamper, and gym bag!
For most smelly items, all you’ll need to do is liberally spray down the offending item with Force of Nature and allow it to air dry. This will kill the germs that are the source of the bad smell. Yes, it’s really that easy!
For more specific Force of Nature odor-beating techniques, check out these posts:
