The Fragrance of it All

By Kris Denning

Perhaps the #1 thing you can do to reduce your family’s exposure to toxic chemicals is avoid anything with the word “fragrance” on the label.

If you are like me, your body naturally resists the allure of a chemical fragrance, because it brings on a headache, congestion or discomfort. There are houses I try to avoid on my neighborhood walk, because of what is billowing out of their dryer vent and into the atmosphere. It doesn’t smell like flowers or fresh spring to me. It honestly smells like poison. I consider this instant headache the gift of a red flag. But for those of you who don’t notice anything from those “fragrances”, there are a few things you should know.

When you see a label with the word Fragrance on it, this represents the presence of some of more than 3000 different chemicals. Many research studies have classified the chemicals used in fragrance as allergens, hormone disruptors, asthma triggers, neurotoxins, and carcinogens. Most fragrances include phthalates (used to help scents last longer). These chemicals have major health risks including cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, birth defects, and respiratory problems. YIKES. It would be nice to think that we could just blindly trust what is sold on our grocery store shelves, wouldn’t it? Unfortunately, manufacturers don’t have to list each of the more than 100 or so different toxic chemicals used to scent a product if they hide it under the term “fragrance”. Oh, and the fragrance industry regulates itself, meaning safety testing does not have to be confirmed by regulators before products are sold to consumers. DOUBLE YIKES.

How many of you know of someone or perhaps are someone, who suffers from an illness with an unknown origin? Cleaning up your home environment of potentially harmful poisons should be a high priority to anyone with pets, babies, and illnesses of any kind. Everyone should be wary of these products.

I recommend going through all your household products, especially the ones you are exposed to often like the laundry detergents, floor and surface cleaners, disinfectant, dish soaps, cosmetics, soaps and skin care, etc. Febreze!!! Look at the label and consider tossing out anything with “fragrance” in it. This is a very simple way to clean your home environment and will contribute to a cleaner Earth when we all stop consuming these products!

Non-toxic is a term that you should look for when buying a product. There are so many natural alternatives out there now that smell amazing with pure essential oils – or use unscented. I like to use vinegar in water (1:1 ratio) as an allpurpose non-toxic cleaner. It is excellent for windows, floors, and all surfaces. The vinegar smell goes away quickly. Baking soda and a scouring pad can make a great scrub for tubs and sinks. Use pure essential oils in a diffuser, or naturally scented candles to bring lovely scents to a space.

For more information on toxic versus nontoxic household products, check out the Environmental Working Group, EWG.org. Or just google “toxic household products”. There is much to be made aware of regarding products we use every day. Don’t blindly trust what is on the shelves. Do your research to protect your family, your environment, and the planet.