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Liquid cleaners may be as harmful as sprays.
Women who regularly use cleaning products have increased rates of asthma.
Study researchers originally suspected that products delivered through a spray or mist would prove more harmful than those applied as a liquid, gel, or wipe. Surprisingly, the study found no significant difference between cleaner delivery types.
Researchers found increased rates of asthma within the groups who used cleaning products regularly. This echoes multiple recent studies that have linked the use of harmful chemical cleaning agents with the onset of asthma.
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Damage is cumulative over time.
The study hypothesised that ammonia, bleach and quaternary ammonium could be potentially problematic ingredients. The researchers stated, “one could hypothesise that long-term exposure to airway irritants such as ammonia and bleach used when cleaning at home could cause fibrotic or other interstitial changes in the lung tissue, thereby leading to accelerated decline of FVC [forced vital capacity].”
When chemicals are regularly inhaled into the sensitive tissues of the lungs, it makes sense that the long-term consequence could be serious respiratory problems. “It seems biologically plausible that exposure to cleaning chemicals,” the researchers wrote, “could result in accelerated lung function decline and chronic airway obstruction; low-grade inflammation over many years could possibly lead to persistent damage to the airways, alternatively, persistent damage could result from continued exposure after onset of cleaning-related asthma.” They hypothesised that “airway irritants such as ammonia and bleach” cause “fibrotic” changes to the delicate lung tissue, essentially scarring the lungs. Simply stated, regular exposure to the toxins within the home may not allow the respiratory system an opportunity to heal, creating a condition where internal damage accumulates. Dr. Cecilie Svanes, a professor at the University of Bergen and senior author of the study, said, “We feared that such chemicals, by steadily causing a little damage to the airways day after day, year after year, might accelerate the rate of lung function decline that occurs with age.” 5
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