Caution, household products are as toxic as tobacco to the lungs

Researchers at the University of Bergen, Norway have shown in a study that the use of household products is harmful to lung function. Their research was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

The researchers followed 6,230 people, aged about 30 for 20 years. During this time, participants were tested to badess their lung capacity. But by the time of expiry in the spirometer, customary household members have shown that they have shorter and shorter breath.

The equivalent of 20 packets of cigarettes

More specifically, people exercising as cleaning agents and those who reported that they were used to doing household chores at home – 93% of the women in the study – were the most concerned. The authors then compared the decrease in breathing capacity with that of a regular smoker who consumed just under a pack a day for twenty years. According to them, the daily use of these products is equivalent to smoking 20 packets of cigarettes a year.

"Cleaning tasks may involve exposure to chemical agents with potential adverse effects on the respiratory system, with an increased risk of asthma." Respiratory problems in professional cleaners and home cleaners have been highlighted "write the authors. "We are concerned that such chemicals, by regularly causing damage to the respiratory tract, day after day and year after year, may accelerate the rate of decline in lung function that occurs with age."

This study also shows that women who cleaned their homes were more likely to develop asthma (12.3%), as well as those who did their work (13.7%) compared to those who did not. not use these products (9.6%). None of these deleterious effects have been found in men, even among cleaning agents. It is likely that these results were biased by some factors (BMI, smoking …).

How to clean safely?

Maintaining a home does not require the impressive arsenal that is customary. Sanitizing sprays, deodorants and other anti-mites are rich in volatile organic compounds, as recalled recently in the magazine 60 million consumers . Some household products are chemical concentrates that should be reserved for very dirty or risky areas, such as factories or hospitals and not your home. In these liquids, there are indeed too many corrosives, irritants and allergens. To limit indoor pollution, it's better to keep it simple. "Water and microfiber cloths are enough for most uses," advises Cecile Svanes.