A quick Google of “What does VOC stand for?” and you'll discover that these pesky Volatile Organic Compounds are often floating about our homes. They’re released into the atmosphere through various products and processes, and the nastier ones can leave you with irritated eyes, a headache, a sore throat or even worse, an asthma episode.
Home cleaning products are a major culprit when it comes to releasing VOCs into the air in your home. Remember that coughing fit while you were cleaning the shower? That’ll be the VOCs.
Here are 3 things you should know before you choose your next cleaning product.
1. VOCs take a while to disappear from the air
During experiments to test the VOC levels of different bathroom cleaners, we found that it took hours, if not days for VOCs to fully dissipate. This is worrying because after you’ve cleaned a surface, you and your household might be exposed to potentially harmful toxins in the air.
2. There are some surprising toxins floating around our homes
Did you know that some cleaning products create formaldehyde when they react with the air in our homes? Not all of these products contain this potentially harmful ingredient, but if you’re finding that cleaning in an enclosed space irritates your respiratory system, this could be why.
3. VOCs are only worrying at high levels
Plant and mineral-based cleaning products are typically low-VOC. Any fragrance, even naturally-derived, will mean that a product will release a small amount of VOCs. As long as the VOC levels are low, this isn’t a problem for most people. However, those with sensitivities like allergies, asthma or eczema should choose a gentle, plant-based and fragrance-free formulation like our Ultra Sensitive Multi-purpose Cleaner, to avoid any VOCs that might trigger a reaction.
Watch Dr Michelle Dickinson's VOC experiment on bathroom cleaners here
Shop our plant and mineral-based, low VOC cleaning range here
