Fragranced surface cleaning products can expose you to a similar amount of particulate pollutants as a busy urban road used by 28,000 vehicles a day. The findings suggest that professional cleaners may be at particular risk from damage caused by indoor pollutants.

Surface cleaning products often contain aromatic chemicals called monoterpenes that smell like citrus or pine. Monoterpenes readily evaporate into the air where they react with unstable molecules such as ozone to produce polluting particles called secondary organic aerosols (SOA).

SOAs – which are also produced by vehicle exhaust – can irritate your airways. “The smaller the particles, the deeper they penetrate the lungs,” says Colleen Rosales of Indiana University. “Smaller particles cause serious respiratory problems, such as inflammation. They can also introduce chemicals into the bloodstream.”

Source: newscientist.com