One in five Americans report experiencing health problems from air fresheners, including migraines, asthma attacks, and breathing difficulties, according to a 2017 study published in Building and Environment. Despite their pleasant scents and appealing marketing, conventional air fresheners and plug-in devices contain chemicals that many consumers have never heard of, let alone understand the potential health risks they pose.

What Toxic Chemicals Are Hiding in Your Air Freshener?

When you plug in a conventional air freshener or spray a room freshener, you're not just releasing a pleasant fragrance into your home. You're also introducing a complex mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are chemicals that easily vaporize at room temperature and become airborne . A 2011 study in Environmental Health Perspectives tested 25 different home fragrance products and detected an astounding 133 different VOCs across them. Close to half of those products generated at least one of 24 carcinogenic pollutants, meaning they contained chemicals linked to cancer .

The specific chemicals found in conventional air fresheners include:

• Benzene: A known carcinogen derived from crude oil, coal, or natural gas that produces a sweet smell and is frequently found in aerosol spray products.
• Formaldehyde: The same chemical used to preserve biological specimens in laboratory settings, which the National Cancer Institute lists as a carcinogen.
• Toluene: A chemical produced during gasoline manufacturing that functions as a solvent and is classified as a known carcinogen.
• Xylene: A petroleum and coal derivative found in aviation fuel and gasoline that is often grouped with benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene as "BTEX" chemicals.
• Phthalates: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, meaning they interfere with your body's hormone systems, that are commonly used to make fragrances last longer in air fresheners and other scented products.

Perhaps most troubling is the "fragrance loophole" in U.S. law. Under current regulations, manufacturers can hide over 3,500 different chemicals under the simple label of "fragrance" or "parfum" on product packaging . This means consumers have virtually no way of knowing what specific chemicals they're breathing in when they use these products. Many of these hidden ingredients include endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, and common allergens.

Why Does Indoor Air Quality Matter More Than You Think?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans spend approximately 90% of their lifetime indoors, making indoor air quality a critical factor in overall health and wellness . Yet many people don't realize that indoor air pollution can actually be worse than outdoor air pollution. When you use air fresheners in a closed indoor space, you're concentrating these chemical vapors in an environment where you and your family breathe them continuously.

The health effects from air freshener exposure can range from acute, short-term symptoms to potential long-term consequences. Short-term effects reported by users include rashes and skin irritation, allergy symptoms, asthma attacks, throat irritation, stomach upset, coughing, fatigue, and vomiting . The long-term risks are even more concerning, as regular inhalation of endocrine-disrupting chemicals like phthalates has been linked to fertility problems, developmental and reproductive harm, and cancer.

Pet owners should be particularly cautious. Dogs, cats, and other household pets have smaller lungs and organs than humans, making them even more vulnerable to the harmful effects of air freshener chemicals. Pets can experience respiratory irritation, lethargy, nausea, and cancer from prolonged exposure. Additionally, if a pet ingests the liquid from a plug-in air freshener, it could result in poisoning .

How to Reduce Your Exposure to Air Freshener Chemicals

• Eliminate air fresheners entirely: The simplest and most cost-effective approach is to stop using conventional air fresheners altogether. This immediately removes your exposure to all the hidden chemicals and VOCs associated with these products.
• Improve natural ventilation: Open windows regularly to allow fresh outdoor air to circulate through your home, naturally diluting any indoor air pollutants and reducing the need for artificial fragrance products.
• Use alternative scenting methods: If you enjoy pleasant scents in your home, consider using essential oil diffusers, dried herbs, or natural plant-based alternatives that don't contain synthetic fragrances or phthalates.
• Read labels carefully: If you do choose to use air fresheners, look for products that explicitly state they are phthalate-free and contain no synthetic fragrances. Avoid products that simply list "fragrance" as an ingredient.
• Check for third-party certifications: Look for products bearing certifications from organizations that verify non-toxic claims, which can help you identify genuinely safer alternatives to conventional air fresheners.

The decision to use air fresheners ultimately comes down to weighing the convenience and pleasant scents against the potential health risks. However, given that one in five Americans already report experiencing adverse health effects from these products, and considering the long-term risks associated with regular exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, many health-conscious households are choosing to eliminate them entirely .

If you're concerned about indoor air quality and the chemicals you and your family are breathing, starting with air fresheners is a practical place to make a change. Unlike many other household products that are difficult to replace, switching away from conventional air fresheners is simple, immediate, and requires no special knowledge or expense. Your lungs, and those of your family members and pets, may thank you for it.