What’s that smell? If it smells sweet and you are not running through a field of flowers, chances are it is formaldehyde, naphthalene, xylene, cresol, butane, phenol, paradichlorobenzene, phthalates, and/or other known toxins that are emanating from your candles and air fresheners.
POP QUIZ QUESTION:
1) What is paradichlorobenzene (p-DCB)
a) a pesticide
b) a moth, mold and mildew control agent
c) a disinfectant used in many public restrooms
d) the characteristic smell associated with urinal cakes
e) a chemical which the US Department of Health and Human Services has determined "may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen", (how’s that for commitment)
ANSWER: all of the above. (source)
Why would toxins like these be in your air fresheners, carpet deodorizers, and yes, even plug-ins? Because we want things to smell pretty and come in a convenient packaging and, quite honestly we are very trusting of agencies who are not required to tell the truth in advertising:
Time Magazine reported in September 2007:
“Plug-in, spray or stand-alone liquid and gel air fresheners are used in nearly 75% of U.S. households, and the market has doubled since 2003 to $1.72 billion. The NRDC tested products, including those labeled "all-natural" or "unscented," and found a wide range of phthalate content, from zero parts per million (ppm) to 7,300 ppm. Many air fresheners contained a phthalate known as DEP and some also contained DBP, which are listed by the California EPA's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a developmental toxin and female and male reproductive toxin, respectively.” (source)
POP QUIZ QUESTION:
2) How do commercial air fresheners work?
a) They create a fine non-toxic mist that removes the offending odor and then evaporates in the air leaving no residue
b) They coating our nasal passages with an oily chemical-based film thus making an offensive odor with a different one
c) They 'kill' your ability to smell by way of a nerve-deadening chemical
ANSWERS: a (rarely), often b & c – most air fresheners coat our nasal passages with another, but synthetic odor and/or deaden our nerves. (source)
And, just so you know, if you are using an aerosol air freshener, the tiny particles that are released into the air you breathe go right into your lungs, your child’s lungs and your pet’s lungs and then into the blood stream. Plug-ins do basically the same thing, however, the particles are even smaller and exposure is more frequent since they are programmed to release scents throughout the day. And, for those of you who love those scented candles, here’s another question:
POP QUIZ QUESTION:
3) Who regulates and monitors the safety of fragrances in the US?
a) no one
b) the FDA
c) the USDA
ANSWER: a) no one - technically. Fragrances in candles and air fresheners are self-regulated meaning a manufacturer can add any ingredient he/she chooses. Candles are not regulated either. Many scented candles and gels contain phthalates and plasticizers, toxic colorants, synthetically scented oils, paraffin and lead wicks. Various agencies and organizations have standards in place but these relate to the wick content, candle height, how it burns, and the containers that are used. (source)
And in case you weren’t familiar with how paraffin is made, it is the last product made in petroleum refining. It is a grayish-black sludge that is bleached creating dioxins (same dioxins that were discussed in the Toxic Tampon article - see related links below).
Even if you do look at air freshener or other deodorizer labels, there’s a good chance you can’t determine what the actual ingredients are. According to the Healthy Child Web Site scents are protected by law. So if a fragrance is used the manufacturers can just put ‘perfume’ or ‘fragrance’ as the ingredients. (source)
And, an August 2000 FDA Consumer bulletin reported calling a product "fragrance-free" can mean that there is no detectable odor, HOWEVER, fragrances are used in smaller amounts. (source)
What other ingredients should you watch out for?
The ones described thus far pretty much sum it up. If you want more details on what each of these chemicals and toxins are, please read this great resource.
So, what are your alternatives?
The key to freshening air is to remove the offending odor (by cleaning, ventilation or absorption), not to cover it with another chemical. Here are some options for absorbing and dispersing odors:
• Baking soda in an open container or flow-through box helps to absorb odors in enclosed areas.
• Simmer water and fruit peels/cores, cinnamon, cloves, or other spices on stove.
• Place bowls of fragrant dried herbs and flowers in room.
• Purchase a volcanic rock deodorizer
• Use an air purifier with activated carbon filtration.
• Add drops of orange, lemon, eucalyptus, rosemary, or lavender organic essential oils to organic cotton balls and put them in areas that have offensive odors.
• Spray undiluted white vinegar in the air. The vinegar smell evaporates very quickly taking odors with it.
• Dampen a towel with vinegar and wave it through the air
• For the bathroom, dampen a cotton swab with your favorite perfume or cologne and swab the inside of a toilet paper roll. Each time the toilet paper is rolled, a fresh scent will fill the room.
• Light a match in the bathroom if you find some lingering odors. The smell will dissipate immediately.
• Salt lamps help ionize and purify the air. (see related links below)
• Onions tend to absorb chemical-based odors. We had a lot of success with removing some paint smells when we moved into our home by cutting up and onion, placing it in a bowl and letting it absorb and neutralize the chemical smells overnight.
• And, if you want to remove onion or garlic smells, use celery. You can also eat celery to remove onion and garlic smells from your breath!
No matter what you use to neutralize or disperse odors, the best way to keep the air in your home or office as fresh and non-toxic as possible is to open a window. Believe it or not, outdoor air is less toxic than indoor air. (source)
Not able to open windows due to weather conditions or security? How about using plants to freshen the air? Numerous studies including ones through NASA have found that the plants' leaves, roots, and microbes in the soil help purify the air as they take in carbon dioxide and breath out oxygen. (source)
Want to learn more about what plants too choose and how this process works? Here’s an interesting book I found while doing research:
Happy and healthy breathing!
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