Originally Posted by
Ekdog
Bad idea. Spraying air freshener to try to cover up smells is like splashing on perfume or cologne in lieu of bathing. It doesn't work--just makes the problem worse. And there's this:
Toxicity
Many air fresheners employ carcinogens, volatile organic compounds and known toxins such as phthalate esters in their formulas. 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.' None of the products had these chemicals listed on their labels.[SUP]
[4][/SUP]
Very interesting. I've never heard of toxic air fresheners until you brought it up. Your post inspired me to google the subject. I was able find numerous pro and con air freshener articles. Here's a link the the most balanced article I could find:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-i...er-dangers.htm
In short, the US Product Safety Commission and Environmental Protection Agency have yet to rule on air freshener toxicity. The Natural Resource Defense Counsel and several university studies have concluded that many/most commercial air fresheners contain chemicals that should be avoided (phthalates). The end of the following article contains a list of air fresheners that don't contain phthalates:
http://www.nrdc.org/health/home/airf...fresheners.pdf
Finally, there are natural alternatives to commercial air fresheners. Baking soda, coffee grounds, and lemon peels are three suggestions.
Back to the original topic. I've got a similar situation to the OP. I hang dry my commuting clothes in the corner of my work cubical and don't want offending odors upsetting my wall-mates. I'll spend the next few days looking into air freshener toxicity and try to come up with a reasonable solution.
Given this new information I'll revise my previous advice:
If you opt to hang dry your commuting clothes in the office and are concerned with offensive olfactory perception and want to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals, seven words: baking soda, coffee grounds, or lemon peels.