According to a scientific study published by The Independent regular use of cleaning sprays (once a week or more) or other cleaning products, was as damaging to the lungs as smoking 20 cigarettes a day for 10 to 20 years. The author of the study, Professor Cecile Svanes, a medic at the University of Bergen, said "We feared that such chemicals by steadily causing a little damage to the airways day after day, year after year, might accelerate the rate of lung function decline that occurs with age."

This isn't surprising because of the large amount of Volitile Organic Compounds (VOCs) released by the use of common cleaning products. Air "fresheners" are the worst, releasing 697.6 milligrams of VOCs per house per year, based on average use. In the study it was also found that Fabreeze (One Air Freshener spray) releases more VOCs than Raid Ant and Roach Spray! And unlike cigarettes, cleaning products are not required to label their ingredients!

Conventional cleaning products do not offer superior cleaning to green products; they just offer very real potential for serious health problems. Sponge & Sparkle takes the health of our hard working employees and our clients and their pets very seriously and you can trust the products that we use in your home to not only be green, environmentally safe cleaners, but very effective!

For your own information and according to a study conducted by Ode to Clean , the brands that release the most VOCs in descending order are listed in the image associated with this post (above) for reference.