A few decades ago, before the 1950s. smoking was considered perfectly fine - healthy, in fact. Thankfully, we now know better. However, it does beg the question: what about 70 years from now? What products that we currently use will we realize, in hindsight, were terribly bad for our health all along?

Perhaps it will be chemical-based cleaning products. You might have already heard whispers of how these products could be potentially dangerous to human health; you might have dismissed it as nonsense. But how much truth is there to these concerns? Let’s find out

Chemical Cleaning Sprays Are As Bad As Smoking

Well, it turns out these concerns may indeed be well placed. According to a recent study published in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, regular use of cleaning sprays could be as bad for lung health as smoking.

Scientists studied more than 6,000 people over 20 years and analyzed the results. They found that those who were regularly exposed to cleaning spray chemicals - such as those who worked as cleaners - experienced lung function decline at a comparable rate to smoking 20 cigarettes a day.

The reason this is just now becoming clear is that it takes a long time for the long-term health effects of new products to become fully clear. Short-term effects may be well documented, but it can take decades to understand the long-term impact.

So what is it about these cleaning sprays that make them so bad for our lung health?

Why Chemical-Based Cleaning Products Are Bad for Health

Dangerous chemicals are present in many household cleaning supplies and products, such as ammonia and bleach. A good example of well-documented, potentially hazardous ingredients in cleaning products is VOCs - volatile organic compounds

VOCs and similar chemicals are released when using cleaning supplies and pollute the indoor air, and may contribute to health problems such as respiratory decline, allergic reactions, and headaches.

VOCs are present in a huge variety of household cleaning products, including air fresheners, spray products, bleach, detergent, and more.

How to Minimize these Health Risks

Fortunately, it’s not all bad news. There are some easy, actionable steps that we can take to minimize our exposure to these potentially harmful chemicals.

Experts recommend using water and chemical-free cleaning products as an alternative whenever possible. There are lots of safe alternatives to chemical-based cleaners that are better for both you and the environment

In fact, these ‘better-for-you’ products are growing in popularity as consumer awareness about the dangers of chemicals is growing. Citric acid is becoming increasingly in demand.

If you really can’t avoid using chemical-based products, take steps to minimize your exposure to the chemicals by wearing appropriate protective gear, such as rubber gloves and facemasks.