Greenwash Of The Week: Febreze-”It’s A Breath Of Fresh Air”.
Um, no, not really. A chemical product designed to be sprayed around your house and stinky family marketed as a “breath of fresh air”? Don’t think so. How about opening some windows or stepping outside for your fresh air? Febreze’s main active ingredient is Cyclodextrin, which binds or entraps various hydrophobic compounds that cause odors. (Wikipedia). It is a starch based compound that swallows odors, encapsulating them inside the compound. It does not actually clean your fabrics at all, it just traps odors for a while. So not only are you using chemicals to try to reproduce a “breath of fresh air”, but said chemicals are only masking any odors in the house – it doesn’t clean anything. And while their television advertisements try to sell you on smothering yourself in pillows covered with it and dousing your home from top to bottom, you might want to think twice after reading their MSDS sheet:
- Possible mild gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
- Inhalation of high concentrations of ethanol vapor may cause irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, drowsiness, and fatigue.
- Use chemical goggles and protective gloves (rubber, neoprene) during spill clean-up.
Still want to spray it around your family to try to make them smell better? Safer alternatives for a better smelling home include soy candles, cinnamon sticks in boiling water, bowls of vinegar in the smelly areas, and opening your windows and doors. Or, you can try cleaning with a non-toxic cleaner, since that will actually help to remove odors and not just mask them.
“A breath of fresh air” from a can filled with fragrances and chemicals. I don’t think so.
You may also like:
- Greenwash Of The Week: SC Johnson Website.
- Greenwash Of The Week: Monsanto “Imagine”.
- Greenwash Of The Week: Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
- Greenwash Of The Week: National Clean Air Green Tour.
Related Websites
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OMG “fresh air” ummmm NOT!
I get an instant vein popping migraine at the smallest inhalation of Febreeze or any other chemical funk people spray!
It’s so bad I can’t even walk down the “cleaning” aisle at stores.
You cannot imagine how many times I’ve tried to get people to grasp the concept of covering up odors with chemical funk isn’t the way to go & they don’t grasp it, yet they have health/medical issues now and I don’t…see the connection? they don’t
Excellent blog as always
Yea, it’s quite stupid to use chemicals to cover up smells. How backwards is that?
Fresh air does not cause “Possible mild gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.” Plus fresh air is free.
I am guilty of having used Febreze, I thought it was healthier just b/c it wasn’t an aerosol and because it is safe for fabrics and I believe they say safe for pets. UGH, gross, never again.
For the life of me, I never understood why someone would want to spray a nasty aerosol into their home to mask a foul odor with a less foul odor. Try opening a window… it’s free.
If it smells that bad, just light a match (humor intended) or consider being less of a slob.
The MSDS for Febreze indicates that the gastrointestinal upset comes from ingesting the stuff. Note that the purest, most natural soap will cause terrible gastrointestinal upset if you eat it. The inhalation problem comes from inhaling alcohol fumes, which can happen if you use regular rubbing alcohol to clean things.
From the distilled white vinegar MSDS:
3. HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
Emergency Overview: Do not ingest. Avoid skin and eye contact. Avoid
exposure to vapors or mists.
Potential Health Effects:
Eyes: May cause irritation.
Skin: May cause irritation.
Ingestion: May cause gastrointestinal discomfort.
Inhalation: May cause irritation to respiratory tract.
6. SPILL OR LEAK PROCEDURES
Steps to be Taken in Case Material is Released or Spilled:
Ventilate area of spill. Eliminate all sources of ignition.
Remove all non-essential personnel from area. Clean-up personnel should
wear proper protective equipment and clothing. Absorb material with
suitable absorbent and containerize for disposal.
No, I’m not shilling for Febreze — I just like real science.
Strange, as the products I use in my house don’t say things like:
“Ventilate area of spill. Eliminate all sources of ignition.
Remove all non-essential personnel from area. Clean-up personnel should
wear proper protective equipment and clothing. Absorb material with
suitable absorbent and containerize for disposal.”
That to me is not safe, and NOT a breath of fresh air, which is the point of the article.