Many products in our bathrooms contain chemicals that are harmful to our health. These evaporate into the air and affect our airways.
- Researchers warn of the impact of indoor pollution on health.
- All the volatile organic compounds in our homes form harmful air pollution that is difficult to control.
Ten minutes, it is the minimum time during which it is necessary to ventilate its housing, in summer as in winter. This simple gesture makes it possible to renew the indoor air, to avoid the accumulation of pollutants and to reduce their concentration in a dwelling. Indeed, contrary to all received ideas, it is not because we are at home that the air is pure… Quite the contrary. Smoking, mould, building materials, furniture, dust mites, cleaning products, paints… So many sources of indoor air pollution that are harmful to us. And, according to a study published in the journal indoor air, the list could go on and on. Indeed, according to the authors, many products found in our bathrooms are harmful to health.
Dangerous volatile compounds in shampoos…
The authors believe that some beauty and/or hygiene products that we use contain volatile organic compounds that are harmful to human health, especially if they are inhaled in too large quantities. Among the targeted ingredients: limonene, alcohol, benzyl and ethanol. The first is a hydrocarbon, especially detected in citrus-scented shampoos as well as in essential oils. The second volatile organic compound found in bathrooms, benzyl alcohol, is flammable, irritating and colorless. This is the most used in hygiene and cosmetic products, both as a preservative, stabilizer, solvent and perfume compound.
…and in moisturizers
Finally, according to the study, ethanol is mainly present in moisturizing creams. Scientists have also discovered other chemicals in our bathroom air. These would come from the detergents used by the participants and the researchers themselves. To reach all these conclusions, the scientists studied the quality of the air in real conditions: they installed pipes in different bathrooms to study the fumes coming out of them. In addition, all participants had the same products, namely shampoo, conditioner, face wash, shower gel, moisturizer and deodorant spray.
Inform consumers of the danger of these products
All these volatile organic compounds can have serious health consequences such as allergies, headaches, respiratory tract irritation, etc. To limit their presence in indoor air, scientists believe that manufacturers of hygiene and beauty products should be the first to act. Thus, if the lotions they sell are harmful, the authors plead for them to be held responsible for part of the indoor pollution. On the other hand, they also recommend that the authorities ban aerosols or, at least, that consumers no longer buy them. Finally, they believe that labeling or an air quality label on these products will better guide the population. So, when will a nutri-score like volatile organic compounds?
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