If the smell of roasting still hangs in the air after cooking or if the living room smells like cigarette smoke, Febreze & Co promise quick relief. At the touch of a finger on the room spray, the air is refreshed. However, the cause of the bad odors has not disappeared from the room, but is only covered with a much stronger smell.
Health risk air fresheners - How room fragrances harm the body
In the air fresheners, concentrated chemistry ensures the rapid effect. Some ingredients are even suspected of being carcinogenic or reducing the number of vital red blood cells. In addition, some air fresheners emit fragrances such as hydroxycitronellal, cinnamal or lyral, which can have an allergenic effect. As a result, the artificial fragrances and preservatives are a particular burden on allergy sufferers or can trigger as well as promote allergic reactions of the respiratory tract in the first place.
In addition to these pollutants, air fresheners also contain plasticizers, which are used for a long-lasting effect of the fragrances. These phthalates are said to negatively affect the functioning of the liver, kidney and reproductive organs.
Symptoms & effects of air fresheners
While the long-term effects of room sprays, such as organ damage, are rather difficult to attribute, short-term symptoms can be more clearly attributed to the air fresheners.
Possible symptoms after using room sprays include:
- Headache & Nausea
- Irritation & inflammation of mucous membranes of eyes & nose
- Dizziness & lack of concentration
Air freshener in the air-Q test: analysis of the development of pollutants in the room air
We wanted to know how the use of air fresheners and textile fresheners affects the air indoors. For this purpose, we made two test runs in a 22 m² room and monitored the development of the air quality with our air-Q air measuring device. The room was thoroughly ventilated beforehand so that the air quality was perfect before the test.
air-Q test: particulate matter pollution from air fresheners
First we used air freshener, then a textile freshener. It became clear that especially the sensor for particulates reacted. The corresponding display rose sharply within a few seconds, with the LED bar lighting up completely orange. Whereas the initial values were around 8 μg/m³ at around half past three, they reached a maximum value of just under 24 μg/m³ after using the room spray - an increase of 200 percent.
The values also show that the air freshener stays in the air longer than expected and, instead of settling, floats around. Thus, the room freshener fulfills its function, but massively raises the particulate matter load in the room for the rest of the test period. Although the first peak subsides after about half an hour and is halved, the values still only reach a "low" of about 12 μg/m³.
air-Q Test: particulate matter exposure from textile fresheners
As a second test, we sprayed the textile freshener around half past four. The values reached another peak, but this was much smaller than with the room spray: the values climbed from around 12 μg/m³ to just over 16 μg/m³, i.e. by 33 percent. The curve also behaved differently. Whereas the air spray shows a vertically rising line followed by an initially rapid reduction in the deflection, the textile freshener shows a continuous alternation of rising and falling particulates values.
This spray, unlike the air freshener is "wetter" and therefore heavier. Therefore, it settles quickly. The functionality of this product can also be confirmed: The spray should not stay in the air for too long, but attach to the textiles and provide a fresh smell here. Even after two hours of test measurements, the particulate matter values no longer fall below this value. The initial value is no longer reached.
By atomizing the room sprays, lime is sprayed into the air. Together with the minerals contained, this leads to the increased particulate matter value.
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air-Q Test: VOC pollution from air fresheners
In addition to the particulate matter values, we examined the effect on the volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the room air. The air-Q also shows a clear peak for this measured value. Here, however, the peak occurs with a time lag. Thus, the initial values of below 3,000 pbb only rose to about 8,000 pbb after about three quarters of an hour. The maximum value of about 9,000 pbb was recorded by the air measuring device about one and a half hours after spraying. In contrast to the particulate matter values, however, the VOC level drops again after about 30 minutes and almost reaches the initial value.
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Conclusion
Air fresheners have a strong and, above all, long-term impact on indoor pollution. Increased particulate matter levels can still be measured hours after use and the sprays therefore qualify as a significant source of pollutants. In addition to particulates , the fragrances and pollutants contained can have a negative impact on health, performance and allergies.
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