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Household cleaners are often scented so that cleaning seems more effective and enjoyable. But what's in that "clean" smell?

What does clean smell like? Many of us would say, lemony or pine-scented or floral. These are the scents used by manufacturers to make their cleaners smell pleasant rather than like their chemical ingredients. Fabric softeners and laundry detergents are among the most highly scented products, imparting fragrance to clothing and other laundry. But nearly all other cleaners, including dishwashing liquids, floor cleaners, furniture polish and bathroom cleaners, typically contain fragrance, too.

While these scents may seem natural, in most cases they are created using complex blends of chemicals that can cause health effects. During use, fragrance and other chemicals can "volatize," or become airborne and are easily inhaled. What's more, residues from laundry products remain on clothing and linens after washing. These residues can be inhaled or can irritate skin.

For most people, fragrances in many products are unlikely to cause symptoms when used alone or in a well-ventilated area, but using a product excessively or many products together can cause the chemicals to concentrate in the air to levels that become bothersome, especially to children because their airways are more sensitive than those of adults.

Limonene, a lemon or orange scent used in many cleaning products, as well as other aromatic compounds found in pine and other essential oils can cause difficulty breathing. Solvents used in cleaners, such as ethanol and styrene, can cause headaches, fatigue and dizziness. Styrene is a possible human carcinogen. Phthalates, used to lengthen the duration of a scent, are suspected hormone disruptors.

Because manufacturers are not required to list ingredients on the labels of cleaners, it is difficult to determine which chemicals may be used in any given product for scent. In most cases, you will see no more than the word "fragrance".

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is the only agency that has any regulatory power over household cleaners, except when they contain antimicrobial agents. (Antimicrobials, such as disinfectants, are considered pesticides and are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.) CPSC regulates household cleaners based on the following "hazard categories": toxic, flammable, caustic, irritant, sensitizer, carcinogen, nerve or reproductive toxin. And though many fragrance ingredients fit one or more of these categories, CPSC does not consider fragrance ingredients specifically when determining a cleaner's hazard level, nor is the agency concerned with the multiple and cumulative exposures of fragrances that occur in most homes due to the use of numerous cleaning products.*

The government also does not regulate the term "fragrance-free", according to a CPSC spokesperson. It is purely an industry invention. Many companies offer so-called "fragrance-free" products as an alternative to consumers who object to scent. However, the label is misleading. A product labeled "fragrance-free" may still contain fragrance ingredients, even if the scent cannot be easily detected. That's because fragrance may be needed to mask the unpleasant odor of some chemical ingredients.

To reduce the fragrance overload in your home, try switching to mild cleaners that don't have a heavy scent, such as those that are environmentally friendly or are made for the chemically sensitive.
The best way to ensure that your cleaners don't have any unwanted fragrance chemicals is to make them yourself, using ingredients in your kitchen. For example, baking soda works perfectly well to scrub out your bathtub. More homemade recipes can be found in How to Clean with 5 Basic Tools.

*A CPSC spokesperson used the logic that any one cleaner has only a small amount of fragrance, making it harmless. When pressed about the fact that homes generally contain multiple cleaners and therefore multiple fragrances, he pointed to CPSC consumer education on indoor air quality.

See also:
How to Avoid Overexposure to Fragrances

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