{"id":30426,"date":"2018-03-15T18:33:09","date_gmt":"2018-03-15T18:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inhalio.com\/?p=30426"},"modified":"2018-03-15T18:33:09","modified_gmt":"2018-03-15T18:33:09","slug":"30426","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inhalio.com\/china\/2018\/03\/15\/30426\/","title":{"rendered":"Keith Kelsen\u2019s Scent Narrative Spring Cleaning with Clean Scent"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Definition of <\/strong>Clean<\/a>\u00a0&\u00a0Clean Scent<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Spring Cleaning is upon us and a Clean Scent is our theme. There is no definition of \u201cclean<\/em>\u201d as a Scent or smell; clean scent<\/em> does not exist.\u00a0 \u00a0When you look up the definition of clean, the first entry is: \u201cfree from dirt or pollution\u201d.\u00a0 Free from pollution could be difficult, based on current scientific research, reviewed later in this article. \u00a0Second, it says \u201cfree from\u00a0contamination<\/a>\u00a0or disease\u201d. Extreme, yet we know that the pursuit of clean is more than just an experience, it is a Scent all its own.\u00a0 So how does \u201cclean\u201d smell? What price are we willing to pay for that experience?<\/p>\n

As we have explored in previous Scent Narratives, Fresh<\/em> Clean Scents<\/em> are added to almost everything we use from personal care products to candles, cleaning products, hand soaps, laundry products and air fresheners. Yet, there is no clear definition of the Scent.<\/p>\n

WHAT DOES A CLEAN SCENT SMELL LIKE?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

What does a clean scent really smell like? Experts have searched for solutions, adding them to conventional cleaning products. Some Scientists are promoting products:<\/p>\n

\u201cI like the Open Window Fresh WetJet scent; it smells pretty good as you are using it. I like fresh and clean smells, so it makes sense that I would also be partnered with Swiffer because that is what they are all about: making your house all fresh and clean.\u201d Dr. Eric Stonestreet<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Clean Scent has been pursued by all manufacturers.\u00a0 \u00a0A consumer focus group company,\u00a0the Haystack Group, identified Clean Scent to be the leading criteria customers use rating the quality of a cleaning service.\u00a0 We have been programmed to believe that if our house doesn\u2019t have a certain Clean Scent, then it isn\u2019t thoroughly cleaned. This is a slippery slope as common cleaners, such as bleach, contain ingredients harmful to our health if inhaled. \u00a0The pursuit of a Clean Scent could take a worrying turn if chemicals are overused.<\/p>\n

Ahh, the Smell of Pine\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For so many of us, the Scent of\u00a0 pine-scented disinfectant<\/a>\u00a0[i]<\/a>equates to clean. Scientists in research and development have zeroed in on scent clues to a “Clean Scent”. Scented cleaning and laundry products confirm physiologically to consumers that their stuff is clean. However, there is an unexpected consequence.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpecifically, using products that contained terpenes \u2013 which are components of pine and citrus oils \u2013 in rooms where elevated levels of ozone were present, resulted in the production of formaldehyde and ultrafine particles, both of which can potentially harm human health. Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen with no level of exposure that poses zero risk, and is a strong eye, nose, throat and lung irritant.\u201d Report by California Air Resources Board,\u00a0 CARB<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Your Cleaning Products Could be Toxic <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Some Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in conventional household cleaning products can be bad for you. These compounds are dangerous because they are manufactured to remain in the air for long periods of time. (Think about non-stop heat-based air fresheners.) Bad VOCs commonly used in cleaning products can include propane, butane, ethanol, and phthalates.\u00a0Propane is a suspected neurotoxin and respiratory toxicant.\u00a0Butane is a neurotoxicant.\u00a0Ethanol has been reported to be a carcinogen as well as an endocrine toxicant, liver toxicant, neurotoxicant, and reproductive toxicant.<\/p>\n

According to the EPA, VOCs are emitted as gases and include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have adverse health effects. \u00a0According to CARB, Consumer Products are<\/p>\n

\u201cchemically formulated products used by household and institutional consumers. Some examples are: detergents; cleaning compounds; polishes; floor finishes; cosmetics; personal care products; home products; disinfectants; and sanitizers.” (Here is the link to the complete Consumer Products Regulation\u00a0title 17, CCR, \u00a7 94500<\/a>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Regulating Consumer Products for Health<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While not all VOC\u2019s are bad, certain Consumer products are a significant source of VOCs that are not good. Thirteen years ago, when last measured in 2005, consumer products accounted for about 259 tons per day of VOC emissions in California alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese VOCs react with other pollutants under sunlight to form ground-level ozone and particulate matter (PM 10), the main ingredients in smog. Reducing VOC emissions from consumer products plays a significant part in ARB’s effort to reduce smog in California.\u201d CARB’s\u00a0Consumer Products<\/a>\u00a0 & Consumer Products and Smog<\/a>\u00a0web page.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Time to Unplug that Plug-in<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Federal Hazardous Substances Act requires cautionary labels for hazardous household products, but manufacturers are not required to list all ingredients. This means you have absolutely no idea what your family is inhaling daily. Could that\u00a0Clean Scent be bad for your family?<\/p>\n

An analysis by the\u00a0Natural Resources Defense Council\u00a0<\/a>(NRDC) found that 12 of the 14 common air fresheners tested contain phthalates, chemicals that may affect hormones and reproductive development, especially in babies. The federal government does not currently test these products or require manufacturers to meet specific safety standards.<\/p>\n

The Best Cleaning Products\u00a0& Solutions for Every Situation <\/strong><\/h2>\n

What should a clean home smell like? The answer is simple, as\u00a0a\u00a0Clean Scent should smell like nothing at all. The answer to a healthy Spring Cleaning maybe in using the best products and some helpful \u201cGood House Keeping\u201d hints.<\/p>\n

The place to start is J Miller<\/a>\u2019s \u00a013 Practical Cleaning Tips<\/strong> <\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>published last year.\u00a0 Using the best equipment and the best products is the safest way to get your Spring Cleaning \u201cOn\u201d!\u00a0 \u00a0By exploring these tips, you can find the best and healthiest solution.\u00a0 Getting rid of the odor is best accomplished by going to the source.\u00a0 Helpful Heloise<\/a> has 12 areas<\/a> to source the odor and clean the Scent.<\/p>\n