10 Reasons to Avoid Synthetic Fragrances in Cleaning Products

Synthetic fragrances are commonly used in a wide range of household cleaning products and other consumer goods. While the scent of a freshly cleaned home sounds appealing, synthetic fragrances can pose a significant risk to our health. Read on and discover key reasons to avoid synthetic fragrances and opt for safer alternatives in your cleaning routine.

WHAT ARE SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES?

Synthetic fragrances are man-made chemicals used to add a scent to products. Commonly labelled as “fragrance” or “parfum” on the list of ingredients. However, this single term can represent a mix of up to 200 different chemicals.
These hidden chemicals have been linked to everything from skin irritation to hormone disruption, cancer, and environmental harm. Despite these well-known risks, many companies continue to use synthetic fragrances because they are cheaper and easier to produce than natural alternatives.

WHY YOU SHOULD AVOID SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES IN CLEANING PRODUCTS

1. Lack of transparency

In North America, cleaning product manufacturers are not required to disclose a full list of ingredients. This results in the fact that many conventional cleaners’ manufacturers simply do not list the harmful chemicals that can damage both health and the environment. And even if the ingredients are listed, fragrance formulas are often protected as ‘trade secrets’, meaning companies are not legally obligated to reveal the specific chemical used in their synthetic scents.

2. The Fragrance Industry is Self-Regulated

According to a Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP) report on toxic fragrances, the North American flavor and fragrance market lacks proper regulation. This lack of oversight affects the disclosure of fragrance ingredients, not only to consumers and regulatory bodies but also within the fragrance supply chain itself, from initial suppliers to manufacturers. As a result, companies using synthetic fragrances in cleaning products may not have access to the full list of chemicals used in their scents.
The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) represents the fragrance industry and provides safety guidelines based on the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) database. However, the IFRA's list contains over 3,000 chemicals, with only 180 prohibited or restricted. Compliance with IFRA guidelines is voluntary, and most of the research used to establish safety is conducted by the industry itself.

3. Fragrances Can Trigger Allergies and Irritation

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), an independent organization that assesses products and their ingredients and their effects on health and the environment, fragrance formulas are among the top five allergens in consumer products. The EWG highlights the concern in their ‘Guide to Healthy Cleaning,’ which lists over 1,900 household cleaning products containing fragrances. The fragrances often aggravate allergies, cause skin irritation, and pose potential health risks. A simple way to reduce your exposure to allergens is to avoid products with added fragrances.

Fragranced Cleaners and Respiratory Health Risks for Professionals

Fragranced cleaners can pose a serious risk to the respiratory health of cleaning professionals due to their increased exposure to such products. A study published by the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that using chemical cleaning products regularly can damage female workers’ lungs as much as smoking a pack of cigarettes daily for 10 to 20 years. This only highlights the long-term health hazards of frequent exposure to fragranced cleaning products in professional settings.

4. Fragranced Products Often Contain Harmful Parabens

Parabens are synthetic preservatives used in many personal care and cleaning products to extend their shelf life. However, they are often hidden in fragrance formulas, with ingredients like methylparaben and ethylparaben covered under the "fragrance" label. These chemicals are problematic because they can disrupt hormones, interfere with reproductive development, and cause skin irritation. Studies have shown that parabens can bioaccumulate inside our bodies, which can lead to potential long-term health risks. Choosing paraben-free products can help minimize these dangers.

5. Fragranced Products Often Contain Harmful Parabens

Phthalates are a group of chemicals widely used as an ingredient in various fragrance formulas. While research is ongoing, studies so far have linked phthalate exposure to serious health risks, including cancer, birth defects, respiratory diseases, chemical burns, and hormone disruption.
Hormone disruptors, such as phthalates are, pose significant health risks. Our endocrine system consists of a network of glands that produce hormones and regulate essential body functions like growth, metabolism, and development. Chemicals that mimic hormones, known as endocrine disruptors, have been linked to severe health issues, including infertility, breast cancer, diabetes, metabolic disorders, and obesity. Particularly concerning is the effect of phthalates on growth, particularly of children developing in the womb, as avoiding phthalate exposure is extremely difficult.

6. Phthalates Contribute to Indoor Air Pollution

Besides negatively affecting your health, phthalates also harm the air quality around you, impacting the health of those nearby. Phthalates are classified as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which vaporize into the air, linger, and accumulate, leading to indoor air pollution. These chemical build-ups further pose health risks to everyone exposed. Everyday products like sprays, aerosols, and air fresheners that contain synthetic fragrances release phthalates into the air, making indoor environments even more hazardous.

7. Phthalates Contaminate Our Waterways

Phthalates are not only harmful to air quality, but they also persist in our waterways. Specifically, diethyl phthalate (DEP), a common ingredient in synthetic fragrances, is listed as one of the main pollutants under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water Act. Why? Phthalates enter the environment indirectly as by-products of manufacturing processes, but detergents like laundry and dishwashing products containing synthetic fragrances release phthalates directly into waterways through wastewater, further contributing to the pollution of our environment.

8. Phthalates and Synthetic Fragrances Persist in the Environment

The persistence of phthalates in the environment is a significant concern; however, they aren’t the only harmful chemicals lingering there. Various ingredients of synthetic fragrances, like galactoside, which is commonly used to create musks in air fresheners and cleaning sprays, are equally problematic.
According to EWG’s ‘Guide to Healthy Cleaning’, galactoside is classified as “very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects”. Research also shows that galactoside can bioaccumulate, with traces found in blood and breast milk samples, raising serious health concerns.

9. Many Synthetic Fragrances Contain Petroleum-Derived Ingredients

According to the report by EWG and SafeCosmetics.org, many ingredients hiding behind the “fragrance” loophole are derived from petroleum. This means they are byproducts of crude extraction, a non-renewable resource. Some of these petroleum-derived substances have been linked to allergies, birth defects, endocrine disruption, and even classified as carcinogens, raising serious health and environmental concerns.

10. There Are Natural Alternatives to Synthetic Fragrances Available

Choosing natural and organic products doesn’t mean sacrificing the great scent or cleanliness of your home. There are plenty of natural alternatives available on the market nowadays, making avoiding cleaning products with synthetic fragrances easier than ever.

With the rise of the organic movement spreading from our diets into other areas of our lives, many brands now use botanical extracts and essential oils to naturally scent their products. However, transitioning into natural cleaning options can be challenging due to misleading marketing practices like “greenwashing” where brands take advantage of weak regulation laws like the “fragrance” loophole to keep harmful ingredients in the products.
To avoid synthetic fragrances and chemicals, it’s best to rely on third-party resources such as EWG’s ‘Guide to Healthy Cleaning’ and other independent certifications to help you make more informed and safer choices.

SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCE-FREE CLEANING PRODUCTS FOR A HEALTHIER HOME

Synthetic fragrances are commonly found in cosmetics, skincare, haircare, and household products, including cleaning supplies. Avoiding synthetic chemical fragrances in cleaning products can be challenging due to hidden ingredients, but it’s worth the effort considering all the potential health and environmental risks associated with them.

Opting for unscented household cleaning products and laundry detergents is one way to avoid the misleading “fragrance” loophole. The best choice is to select the products that list all their ingredients. Additionally, choosing eco-friendly detergents and natural cleaning supplies that are scented only with organic essential oils rather than synthetic chemicals reduces your daily exposure to harmful toxins.

In the case of air fresheners, the simplest solution is to open windows for fresh air circulation. When cleaning your dishes, opt for unscented dishwasher pods or powder to avoid unnecessary fragrances. However, if you prefer a light scent for handwashing dishes, choose dish soaps scented with pure organic essential oils.