Are Air Fresheners Not Good for Children?

Having children can sometimes be a smelly affair. Between diapers, accidents, and the occasional stomach issue, houses can be filled with smells we wish to cover. Air fresheners are one option, but are they the safest for the kids?

History

• Air freshening isn't a new idea. For the last 2,000 years items have been used to perfume the air from floral items such as lavender to spices like cinnamon. The air freshener as we know it was introduced in 1948. It used technology from the military for dispensing insecticides, which delivered a fine mist. This format became the basis for the industry and by the early 1950s, many companies had begun adding odor counteracting chemicals to the spray. These chemicals included esters, longchain aldehydesm, and pre-polymers.

Function

• Over the years, air fresheners have become popular and used in many homes. They are often marketed with the concept of deodorizing and cleaning the air we breathe. Air fresheners are labeled with information stating they are all natural and non-toxic. However, many air fresheners contain harmful chemicals, which can be hazardous to health.

Effects

• In 2007, several groups petitioned agencies to regulate the air freshener industry. These groups included the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Alliance for Healthy Homes and the National Center for Healthy Housing. Their concern is that air fresheners offer no actual health benefits but contain harmful chemicals.

Considerations

• Air fresheners can contain harmful chemicals including benzene, formaldehyde, and phthalates, which are a group of chemicals that can interfere with hormonal systems. According to Time.com, studies involving rat and human subjects suggest high exposure to certain types of phthalates can cause cancer. Most importantly, phthalates have been linked to developmental and sex hormone abnormalities that include decreased testosterone and sperm levels, along with malformed sex organs in infants. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has no regulation on the use of phthalates, and doesn't require products to label phthalate content levels.

Warning

• The state of California has regulations that went into effect January 1, 2009, which ban the use of phthalates in the production of infant toys and childcare items that can be placed into a child's mouth. This doesn't regulate the amount of phthalates used in lotions or air fresheners, which may come in contact with infants. According to Lawprofessors.typepad.com, because phthalates are used as fragrance components in many baby care products, their use will continue without regulation, as no federal law requires labeling that identifies phthalates in products.

Other Options

• Using natural items can help clear scents from trouble areas of the home without using harmful chemicals for your infant. Putting an open box of baking soda in the baby's room will help absorb smell, as well as adding a small amount to the bottom of garbage cans. Placing fresh flowers, homemade potpourri, or fresh coffee grounds in safe packaging in areas that have problematic smells are another safe solution. Opening windows and keeping garbage cans clear of dirty diapers will also alleviate offending smells. You may also want to consider purchasing cleaning products from all-natural or organic companies.