This weekend, I am traveling to spend time with a very close friend. I didn’t want to miss “Footprint Friday,” so enjoy what follows…
Because it’s wintertime in the Northern Hemisphere, most of us spend more time indoors with our doors and windows shut tight to keep out the cold. This contributes to the potential for poor indoor air quality. And one of those contributors can be the products we use to “freshen” our indoor air–to eliminate that stale and/or musty smell. We think we’re freshening our air when in fact we may be contaminating it with irritating and potentially harmful chemicals. Most commercial products created to add scent to the air are made from chemicals which contribute to many potential problems.
The chemicals used to add scents to products, such as home air fresheners, can cause serious health problems for some people, especially for people with lung diseases such as asthma or COPD. Being near a scented product can actually make some people sick! The chemicals in scents can cause many different reactions. Even products containing natural plant extracts can cause allergic reactions in some people. Scents not only enter our lungs, but enter our bodies through our skin as well. You may remember from your high school or college physiology class that our skin is our largest organ–it’s important therefore that we think about what passes through our skin into our bloodstream as we consider the products and ingredients to which we expose ourselves.
While some people are only mildly affected by scents, others have severe reactions. Some common symptoms include:
* headaches
* feeling dizzy
* feeling tired or weak
* shortness of breath
* nausea
* cold-like symptoms
* worsening asthma symptoms
So exactly what ingredients are found in scents? Scents are usually made from a mixture of natural and man-made chemicals. A typical fragrance can contain between 100 to 350 ingredients! The problem with scented products is not so much the smell itself as the chemicals that produce the smell. When we get a headache or feel “stuffed up” from smelling a product, it may actually be the chemical ingredients causing the reaction. Scented products can contain several toxic chemicals that constantly turn into vapor in the air and attach themselves to hair, clothing, and surroundings. Most (95%) of the chemicals used are synthetic compounds made from petroleum. These include chemicals made from benzene, aldehydes and many other known toxins and sensitizers.
One commonly used chemical is diethyl phthalate, which is used to make scents last longer. (I previously blogged about phthalates–click here to read the full post.) It can cause allergic skin reactions (contact dermatitis) and is classified as a skin sensitizer and a reproductive toxin, according to HAZ-Map: Occupational Exposure of Hazardous Substances of the National Library of Medicine of the United States.
Since we’re looking at the impact of “scented” products, you might be wondering whether products that are labeled “unscented” or “fragrance-free” could be safer alternatives. In other words, do the labels “unscented” or “fragrance-free” really mean there is no fragrance? The answer is no. Even products labeled “unscented” or “fragrance-free” may actually contain fragrances used to mask the smell of certain ingredients. Health Canada has specific rules about how companies can use these words on their labels. According to Health Canada’s labeling regulations, “fragrance free” or “unscented” means that there have been no fragrances added to the product and no masking agent has been added in order to hide the scents of the other ingredients in that product.
So what you can do at home to keep your air “fresh?” The best solution is to keep your home well ventilated. If you don’t have an air exchange system, open a window to get fresh air in and stale air out. Even in the winter months, there are usually days or times of the day when we can open some of our windows. You can also put a fan in a window drawing air out and open another window to increase air circulation–this should be reserved for those “warmer” days.
In the winter, in addition to looking for opportune times to open your windows, here is an easy-to-make home recipe that leaves your home smelling wonderful and your family feeling loved. In dry climates, as well as anytime we are heating our homes, this recipe has the added benefit of providing much-needed humidity in your home.
THE BELLISIMA GODDESS AIR FRESHENER
A large pot filled with water
The peel of one-two oranges
1-2 tablespoons of whole cloves
2-3 cinnamon sticks
Place the orange peel, cloves and cinnamon sticks in a large pot of water. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Remove the lid and reduce the heat to simmer. Allow the aroma and steam to waft through your home. To prevent the water from evaporating completely, remember to check the pot frequently and add more water as needed.
Have a bellisima week!
