Biochemists Reveal The Health Dangers Of Using Toxic Chemicals In Cleaning Products

Constant exposure to toxic chemicals in cleaning products is harming our health, experts have warned.

Substances found in a range of products, from washing up liquids and bleach to floor cleaners, bring risks of developing breathing problems and allergies.

That's according to a new study by biochemists, titled "Do You Know What You Are Breathing?", which examines some of the dangers associated with common cleaning brands.


Benzalkonium chloride is a preservative, disinfectant and surfactant which is added to many household cleaners. It is linked to severe skin, eye and respiratory irritation as well as allergies.

Chlorine-based agents, such as sodium hypochlorite, are the active ingredients in bleach and even at low levels they can cause irritation to the eyes, skin and airways.

Isothiazolinones, such as methylisothiazolinone, or MI, have been blamed for a rise in allergies known as contact dermatitis where the skin becomes red, itchy and blistered.

Limonene is often added to cleaning products to give them a citrus smell. But when it is exposed to ozone – which is present in the air around us – it turns into formaldehyde, which has been linked to cancer.

Around 1.2 million people in the UK have obstructive pulmonary disease – irreversible lung damage – which can leave sufferers constantly breathless and dependent on supplementary oxygen. And the number diagnosed has leapt by 27 per cent in the past decade.

We lose lung function as we age, but exposure to fumes from cleaning products has been shown to escalate the damage.

Dr Gill Jenkins, one of the authors of the report commissioned by e-cloth.com, said: 'Sadly, familiarity breeds complacency, and many people routinely under-estimate the risks associated with household cleaners.

'Many contain ingredients which are highly irritant to both the skin and respiratory system.'

Common culprits include bleach, ammonia and variants such as quaternary ammonia compounds, which are sometimes known as 'quats'.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk