You don't have to use toxic products to achieve cleanliness.
The pandemic inspired new vigilance about germs, including more frequent and thorough house cleaning—changes that stuck with many of us years later. But while cleanliness is a virtue, germ fixation is not. Cleaning your house too thoroughly, or with the wrong kinds of products, can be harmful to health. Of particular concern is the overzealous use of potent disinfectants that kill 99% of common bacteria. "The pandemic has had a long-term impact, and people use stronger disinfectants now," says Orianne Dumas, a respiratory epidemiologist at the French Institute of Health and Medical Research. "We're cleaning more than we ever have, for both good and bad, depending on how people do it," says Jill Heins Nesvold, senior director of indoor air quality at the American Lung Association. Here's what researchers know about the risks and how to clean house effectively while protecting yourself and those around you. Concerning ingredients Studies reveal that the air inside our homes is more polluted than the air outdoors, and a portion of these toxins come from household cleaners. They contain scores of chemicals linked to health problems, including those that affect breathing. However, these risks depend on the dose. In 2023, the nonprofit Environmental Working Group researched 30 common cleaning products and found that all together, they contained 193 chemicals hazardous to health. Many are volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, such as acetone, methanol, and glycols like 2-butoxyethanol. These evaporate easily into the air, where they can be inhaled, trigger allergic reactions, and irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. Too much irritation can inflame and damage the airway, potentially resulting in breathing issues. Higher asthma rates have been observed in people who clean professionally and even in ordinary people exposed to these irritants as infrequently as once per week. There's also an association with lung weakness. One study found professional cleaners have a…