The Epoch Times BY
What’s the best household cleaning product to use?
Household cleaning products can be hazardous, landing hundreds of thousands of children in U.S. emergency rooms. The product most commonly associated with injury is bleach, which can be toxic, even if used as directed.
We know that those with asthma who work with cleaning products day in and day out can experience adverse respiratory effects, worsening of symptoms, decline in lung function, and inflamed airways, but even cleaning workers without asthma can be affected. Indeed, even below so-called acceptable exposure levels, cleaners with or without reactive airways can suffer “a substantial decrease” in lung function.
“Although it is recognized that occupational use of bleach may have adverse respiratory health effects, it is unknown whether common domestic use of bleach may be a risk factor for asthma”—rather, it was unknown…until now. Bleach use was significantly associated with nearly five times the odds of non-allergic adult-onset asthma, as well as ongoing lower respiratory symptoms, such as chronic cough. Bleach works as such a strong pro-oxidant that the thought is it can lead to leaky lungs, allowing allergens to penetrate.
