How Air Fresheners Can Affect Pet Health
Homes easily become smelly from cooking odors, laundry rooms and bathrooms. A house that has poor ventilation and little exchange of fresh air is more likely to trap and hold odors. The solution for many is any one of several types of air fresheners on the market. While they’re effective at hiding odors, research shows that air fresheners can be toxic to pets.
Air fresheners can cause health issues ranging from respiratory illness and stomach upsets to headaches, lethargy, loss of coordination, and irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. In the most extreme cases, air fresheners can result in kidney, liver and central nervous system damage. The effects also extend to humans, especially children.
Research results published in multiple medical journals showed a correlation between air fresheners and pet health issues. Air fresheners contain chemicals that provide a pleasant scent, whether it’s a solid, spray or diffuser. Incense also falls into this category. Direct contact, molecules that hang in the air, and residual droplets that land on surfaces can result in minor to major health issues.
Combined with the chemicals in air fresheners are volatile organic compounds known as VOCs. The substances vaporize into the air at room temperature. VOCs are present in substances ranging from paint and varnish to cigarette smoke, along with formaldehyde and “green” methods used in dry cleaning processes. Some VOCs are known carcinogens. Essential oils can be equally toxic, if not more so, to birds and cats.
Veterinarians recommend limited usage of air fresheners or eliminating them. Simply allowing pets to go to another room isn’t a solution, as the scents permeate homes and are dispersed through air movement. The droplets that fall on surfaces are equally dangerous when pets walk through them or lay on surfaces that have been contaminated. If pet parents insist on using air fresheners, they should only do so in well ventilated areas.
At Crown Products, we create high-quality, focused products that, in essence, improve the quality of life for everyone who uses your facilities and public spaces. Visitors benefit from a cleaner space and resources to keep it clean, staff can focus on important maintenance rather than cleaning up litter and waste, and you can enjoy a pristine and appreciated space!
If you’re an existing distributor, you can place an order here to restock your inventory. If you’re interested in becoming an official distributor of Crown Products, learn more and apply here. And if you’re interested in purchasing Crown Products’ goods for your facility or public space, you can find a distributor here.