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Air Fresheners
Are they
safe?
Of all the
formulations, the evaporating beads and reed diffuser solutions have the
greatest risk of serious toxicity when swallowed by children - the beads are
more dangerous than other formulations because they are easy to swallow, can be
swallowed in large quantities, and contain enough VOCs to cause serious
effects.
Karen D.
Dominguez, PharmD
The Full Story
Air fresheners have
been used to mask unpleasant odors for decades. The first type developed for
home use were aerosols.
These products are
sprayed into the air and create a fine mist of fragrance that lingers.
When the use of
aerosols became unpopular due to health and environmental concerns,
manufacturers responded by reformulating air fresheners as scented oils, reed
diffusers, solids, and gels.
High-tech versions
are heat activated or can automatically spray into the air throughout the day.
Even the names of the fragrances have been revamped.
Traditional scents
such as "rose" or "lemon" have been replaced with more
exotic sounding names such as "Tahitian spring mist" or "dewy
citrus orchard."
Most air fresheners
contain a variety of fragrances and essential oils.
Fragrances are
chemical compounds that have pleasant odors.
Essential oils are
naturally occurring oils typically obtained from plants. The oil contains the
essence of the plant’s fragrance, hence the term "essential".
Examples of
essential oils include cinnamon oil, pine oil, and lavender oil.
Liquid air
fresheners, such as plug-in refill bottles and reed diffusers, typically
contain fragrances and essential oils dissolved in a solvent like isopropyl
alcohol, which is also found in rubbing alcohol.
The evaporation of
the solvent helps carry the fragrance into the air.
Solid air
fresheners, such as the cone-type products, typically contain the fragrance
embedded in wax.
Gel products, such
as the evaporating beads, allow slow evaporation that prolongs the presence of
the fragrance.
Aerosols sprays use
compressed gas propellants like butane or propane.
While many of the
spray products are designed to just add fragrance to the air, others help
remove odors by using disinfectants, which are chemicals intended to kill
bacteria or mold.
An example of one
of these disinfectants is ethanol, which is also found in alcoholic beverages.
Despite their
popularity, there are concerns that these products increase indoor air
pollution and pose a health risk, especially with long-term exposure.
Air fresheners
release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air.
A VOC is a type of
chemical that turns into a vapor or gas easily at room temperature.
Health problems are
thought to occur from the chemicals in the air fresheners and from their
secondary pollutants.
Secondary
pollutants are formed when a product’s chemicals combine with the ozone already
in the air.
Even when these
products are used as directed, there are concerns about health problems with
repeated exposure.
Unintentional
injuries have been reported with these products, including burns when flammable
air fresheners have been ignited by a nearly flame.
Getting air
freshener on the skin can cause some irritation and redness. Typically, the
discomfort goes away after washing the area well.
Fragrances are
known to cause allergic-type skin reactions, so a rash is also possible.
Small amounts of
air freshener in the eye are expected to cause redness and irritation, but
these effects should resolve within an hour after a thorough irrigation with
water.
Medical evaluation
should be obtained if eyes are not back to normal about an hour after irrigation.
Briefly inhaling a
small amount of a spray air freshener might cause some coughing, choking, or
difficulty catching the breath. These effects should get better quickly with
fresh air.
Swallowing air
freshener can cause toxicity ranging from minor irritation of the mouth to
life-threatening effects.
Swallowing some of
a solid, cone-type air freshener is not likely to cause symptoms from the
fragrance because it is imbedded into wax, which limits the amount that can be
swallowed.
Swallowing a small
amount of wax is a choking hazard in young children, but is otherwise not
expected to be toxic.
Liquid air
freshener, when swallowed in small amounts, can cause minor irritation to the
mouth, nausea, and vomiting. Swallowing large amounts can cause drowsiness or
intoxication.
Swallowing spray
air freshener can cause similar effects as the liquid types, but they are not
typically swallowed in large amounts because it is difficult get a large
quantity from a spray nozzle.
Of all the
formulations, the evaporating beads and reed diffuser solutions have the
greatest risk of serious toxicity when swallowed by children.
The beads are more
dangerous than other formulations because they are easy to swallow, can be
swallowed in large quantities, and contain enough VOCs to cause serious
effects.
Symptoms can last a
long time because the beads slowly dissolve in the intestine causing a
prolonged release of the toxic chemicals.
The diffuser
solutions are dangerous to children because they are packaged with open tops,
allowing large amounts of diffuser solution to be swallowed.
If you suspect
someone has swallowed, inhaled, or gotten an air freshener product in the eye
or on the skin, immediately check the webPOISONCONTROL® online
tool for help or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
Prevention Tips
Keep
air fresheners out of reach of children.
Follow
the product directions carefully.
Avoid
open flames near potentially flammable products.
This Really Happened
Case 1: A woman’s home
had an air freshener that was designed to automatically spray fragrance into
the air. The spray contained flammable chemicals that ignited when the woman
lit a cigarette. The woman had burns on her face, ears, and scalp.
Case 2: A worried
grandmother called Poison Control because her 12-month-old and 23-month-old
grandsons had gotten into an Airwick product and ingested some of the scented
oil.
Both children were initially gagging. The
children had their mouths rinsed out and were fine by the end of the call to
Poison Control.
The grandmother wanted to know if the
children needed to be seen in the ER. Based on about the small amount that was
potentially swallowed, it was determined that the children could be watched at
home.
Although toxicity such as excessive
drowsiness can occur with ingestion of some scented oils, only minor irritation
of the mouth and stomach was expected.
Poison
Control contacted the grandmother a few hours later to check on the children,
and they had not developed any symptoms since the initial gagging.
Case
3: A
2-year-old girl swallowed up to 20 air freshener beads, became very drowsy, and
had a low heart rate. These symptoms lasted for days and the girl needed
hospitalization for medical care.
The Bottom Line
The toxic effects of
air fresheners differ depending on the formulation. Small amounts of most air
fresheners are usually not dangerous.
Swallowing the
gel-type evaporative beads or reed diffuser solutions can cause serious effects
in children.
There are concerns
about adverse effects on the environment and health with repeated exposures to
air fresheners.
Karen D. Dominguez, PharmD
Certified Specialist in Poison Information
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