Nuaman Farooq Nuaman Jamil Al-heety

Department of General Sciences

College of Basic Education / Haditha - University of Anbar

Praise be to God, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of God and his family and companions. As for what follows:

   Air fresheners are chemical products that do not "freshen" or purify the air, but rather replace an unpleasant smell with a more dangerous synthetic scent.

   Air fresheners emit over 100 different chemicals, including VOCs (terpenes such as limonene, alpha-pinene, and beta-pinene; terpenoids such as linalool and alpha-terpineol; ethanol, formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and xylene) and semi-VOCs (such as Phthalates) that cause hormonal disturbances; It may also cause breast cancer, birth defects, impaired fertility, asthma, and brain damage.

   Recent population studies have investigated the prevalence and types of health effects associated with air fresheners. In a US population survey, in a nationally representative sample, 20.4% of the population reported health problems when exposed to air fresheners and deodorants. Specific health effects include: 9.5% with respiratory problems, 7.6% with mucosal symptoms, 7.2% with migraines, 5.7% with skin problems, 4.7% with asthma attacks, 3.2% with neurological problems, 2.7% with cognitive problems, and 2.7% with gastrointestinal problems , 2.6% cardiovascular problems, 2.4% musculoskeletal problems, 1.8% immune systems and 0.7% other health problems.

So what is the solution?

   If the indoor environment has unwanted odors, removing the source, treating the cause, or increasing ventilation (such as opening a window or using an exhaust fan) may help eliminate the source of the odors, but without using an air freshener to mask the odor.

The best solution is to make your own natural air freshener. Creating a custom, natural air freshener is easy and inexpensive. You will need to purchase a small water mist bottle and your favorite scent of organic essential oils. Common essential oils for the home include orange, lemon, and lavender, but choose the scent that appeals to you the most for the current season. Mix a few drops of essential oil in a spray bottle filled with water, and spray it around your home whenever you need a scent.