Why You Need to Stop Using Products with VOCs Today

Despite how prevalent volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have become, the average consumer still doesn’t know much about them, including what VOCs are, where they come from, and what makes them harmful. What makes this an even bigger problem is that VOCs are much more common than most people realize, and many people are exposed to them on a daily basis.

Arm yourself with this basic knowledge about VOCs in order to make your living spaces healthier for you and your loved ones.

What Are VOCs?

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are compounds that are easily able to become gases or vapors. Many VOCs are toxic and cause harm to humans if inhaled or touched with direct skin contact. Here are examples of well-known VOCs that can commonly be found in homes:

• Formaldehyde
• Acetone
• Butanal
• Dichlorobenzene
• Ethanol
• Toluene
• Benzene
• Terpenes

Where Can VOCs Be Found?

VOCs enter the air from burning fuel sources (wood, coal, natural gas, gasoline, etc.) and are also released from a number of products that you can find around the average American home. For example, wallpaper, furniture polish, and nail polish remover are known to release acetone. Some carpeting can release benzene.

Cleaning and deodorizing products are the most infamous household sources of VOCs. Ethanol is released by a number of laundry and dishwasher detergents and glass cleaners. Air fresheners that are not composed entirely of natural ingredients produce VOCs including terpenes, benzene, xylene, ethanol, toluene, and formaldehyde. Contrary to what their name implies, air fresheners’ concentration of VOCs actually makes them terrible for your home’s indoor air quality.

What Health Effects Are Associated with Exposure to VOCs?

Exposure to VOCs can result in a number of negative health effects. If you have short-term exposure to VOCs, you may experience effects such as:

• Dizziness
• Headaches/migraines
• Nasal/throat/eye irritation
• Vision problems
• Memory problems

If you have long-term exposure to VOCs, you may also experience effects such as:

• Loss of coordination
• Central nervous system damage
• Liver damage
• Kidney damage
• Cancer

Tips for Reducing Your Exposure to VOCs

• Remember when shopping that labels can be deceiving. Even products that claim to be “green” can contain a number of toxic chemicals.
• When looking for adhesives and paint, try to find options free of benzene.  
• Instead of using products with acetone or alcohol, opt for water-based alternatives.
• Instead of mothballs, repel moths with cedar chips or bags of lavender.
• Use glass over plastic whenever possible. When plastic is necessary, make sure it’s BPA-free.
• Opt for soaps and cleaning products made from all-natural ingredients (like baking soda or distilled white vinegar) or plant-based ingredients.

At GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration, all of our products are bio-safe, and all of our methods are bio-friendly. We do not use any toxic chemicals, and our cleaning systems produce superior results for better indoor air quality and healthier living conditions.

Avoid These Toxins in Common Household Cleaning Products

While it does feel good to scrub down your house until it’s squeaky clean, just the smell of your cleaning products might make you wonder exactly what it is they’re made of… and if those ingredients include anything dangerous. After all, if you've ever accidentally inhaled too soon after spritzing your shower with a tile cleaner, you probably had a good coughing fit before you were able to continue cleaning.

It’s unpleasant to contemplate, but unless your household cleaning products are solely made of ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, and essential oils, they probably contain chemicals that could be quite hazardous to your health.

The FDA Does Not Regulate Cleaning Products

You might be surprised to learn that unlike drugs, food, and beverages, there is actually no federal regulation of chemicals in household cleaning products. Because they are not meant to be ingested, chemical cleaners don’t fall under the FDA’s regulations. At best, the EPA requires cleaning product makers to list potentially harmful ingredients, but that doesn’t stop those makers from including the ingredients in the first place. Consumers must use the products at their own risk or find alternatives.

Toxins in Household Cleaning Products

A majority of the toxins in household cleaning products fall into three major categories: neurotoxins, carcinogens, and endocrine disruptors. Neurotoxins are responsible for affecting brain activity. What they can do ranges in severity from headaches to actual memory loss. Carcinogens are harmful agents that cause or promote various forms of cancer.

Endocrine disruptors have a wide range of possible bad effects on the body because they mimic hormones. In doing so, they cause false signals inside your body, confusing its inner workings. Endocrine disruptors have been known to cause issues including ADHD, premature puberty, menstrual issues, infertility, miscarriage, and cancer.

Many cleaning supplies also carry volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde, toluene, and benzene. VOCs can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation, as well as cancer and damage to internal organs, including the central nervous system.

Avoid These Home Products to Avoid Toxins

• Air fresheners
• Products with artificial fragrances
• Dryer sheets
• Fabric Softeners
• Ammonia
• Bleach
• Chemical drain cleaners
• Corrosive kitchen and bathroom cleaners

Alternatives to Conventional Cleaning Products

If you’re ready to say farewell to your current cleaning products in favor of healthier alternatives, begin by making friends with white vinegar, baking soda, olive oil, and essential oils. These are often used in combination with each other or with other all-natural ingredients (like lemon juice and kosher salt) to make homemade cleaning products.

To the professionals at GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration, your health is an integral part of your quality of life. Our HVAC, attic, and crawl space cleaning services use products that are bio-safe, and all of our methods are bio-friendly. We do not use any toxic chemicals, and our cleaning systems produce superior results.