Air freshener

Air fresheners are products designed to reduce unwanted odors in indoor spaces, to introduce pleasant fragrances, or both.

There are many different types of air fresheners that deliver their active ingredients in different ways, including sprays, candles, reed diffusers, scented beads, gels, passive and active evaporating diffusers, atomizers, automatically timed metered aerosol dispensers, electric fan air fresheners, and plug-ins.

A variety of methods and compounds have been used over the past two millennia for their abilities to create pleasant aromas or eliminate unpleasant odors in indoor spaces.

Consumer products for air freshening began to emerge in the late 1800s[citation needed] which coincided with the arrival of the first synthetically produced fragrances.

[7][8][9] In the United States, commercial aerosol sprays were introduced in 1948, [citation needed] based on what had been a military technology for dispensing insecticides.

In the 1980s, the air freshener market shifted back away from aerosols due to concerns over the destruction of the ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which were used as a propellant.

[citation needed] In addition to the fragrances, adsorbents, oxidizers, surfactants, and disinfectants listed above, air fresheners can also contain aerosol propellants, preservatives, and solvents.

Less common compressed gas propellants work similarly but maintain pressure by filling the empty space without liquefying.

[22] A Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) study of 13 common household air fresheners found that most of the surveyed products contain chemicals that can aggravate asthma and affect reproductive development.

The NRDC called for more rigorous supervision of the manufacturers and their products, which are widely assumed to be safe: The study assessed scented sprays, gels, and plug-in air fresheners.

Independent lab testing confirmed the presence of phthalates, or hormone-disrupting chemicals that may pose a particular health risk to babies and young children, in 12 of the 14 products—including those marked 'all natural.'

[24] Research at the University of Colorado at Boulder revealed the carcinogenic nature of paradichlorobenzene (PCDB) and naphthalene, present in some types of air fresheners.

Chemicals included acetone, the active ingredient in paint thinner and nail-polish remover; chloromethane, a neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant; and acetaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, both carcinogens.

A plug-in air freshener contained more than 20 different volatile organic compounds, with more than one-third classified as toxic or hazardous under federal laws.

Even air fresheners called "organic," "green," or with "essential oils" emitted hazardous chemicals, including carcinogens.

Simple cleaners such as white vinegar and baking soda, as well as natural adsorbents like activated charcoal and zeolite, are effective at removing odors.