A study recently published in the magazine “Environmental Health” discovered increased occurence of breast cancer among women who use a lot of household cleaners. Julia Brody, PhD, executive director of the Silent Spring Institute in Newton, Mass., and her fellow researchers carried out telephone interviews with 787 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and 721 women who did not have breast cancer. The women were questioned about the frequency of their use of household cleaners.
The breast cancer and household cleaners link was found to be the strongest among women who used several cleaning products (many different products used together). Breast cancer risk was about two times as high for the women who used a number of different products compared to women who said they used the least.
“The use of air fresheners and products for mold and mildew control were associated with increased risk” according to Dr. Brody.
Some household cleaners contain synthetic chemical ingredients linked to cancer or other health problems. You can find a list of hazardous ingredients in household products here.
Indoor air pollution is one of the nation’s most pressing personal health worries according to the EPA. The EPA discovered peak concentrations of 20 toxic compounds to be 200 – 500 times higher inside some houses than outside according to a study that tested 600 homes in 6 cities. Unfortunately several of these compounds can be found in household cleaning products.
Symptoms caused by chemicals in household products may include runny nose, skin rash, a scratchy throat, respiratory infections, itchy eyes, dizziness, fatigue, and headaches. More serious maladies due to frequent and longterm exposure to chemicals in household products may not exhibit obvious symptoms immediately.
So what should you do, stop cleaning the house?
If you’re concerned about the household cleaners you’re using in your home there are several things you can do.
- Use natural alternatives that don’t contain toxic chemicals.
- Read the ingredient labels on household cleaners and avoid cleaners that contain toxic chemicals.
- Get rid of household cleaners you already have in your home that contain hazardous ingredients.
- Use an air purifier instead of air fresheners that contain synthetic chemicals.
Because we have all built up a “toxic load” of health-endangering toxins from household cleaners and other sources you might also wish to consider a periodic detox to flush out toxins.