The lowdown on air fresheners
Do you use air fresheners in your home? If so, some of the chemicals used in those products may not be all that good for you, no matter how they make the air smell (generally with an artificial scent).Sure, there are "natural" air fresheners that are much better for that "clean" scent (in my opinion), but those artificial air freshener chemicals may actually make the air less breathable to you.
If you've ever had a headache, irritated eyes and nose and other allergic reactions after using a mainstream air freshener, you may reacting to the chemicals inside them. Just something to think about here. A better solution like a HEPA filter may be a better choice.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-26-2007 @ 12:20PM
Lynne Eldridge M.D. said...
Thank you for this reminder that most air fresheners do not make our homes fresher. In fact, electric (plug in) air fresheners have been shown to react with ozone in the air and create fomaldehyde, a probable carcinogen. Many standup air fresheners contain formaldehyde as well. The majority of these do not "absorb" odors, but rather work by either coating your nasal passages with oil, or by releasing a nerve deadening agent so you can't smell. Is it worth exposing yourself to carcinogens to block your sense of smell? Perhaps we need to return to the "old-fashioned" alternatives, such as opening our windows and simmering lemons on the stove!
Lynne Eldridge M.D.
Author, "Avoiding Cancer One Day At A Time"
http://www.avoidcancernow.com
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