Do cleaning products cause or affect symptoms of asthma?
Asthma clinicians and other experts recognise that maintaining a clean living environment, in which cleaning products play an important role, helps minimise asthma symptoms. Whilst numerous studies have reported statistical associations between working as a cleaner and the likelihood of having asthma or similar respiratory illness, the totality of available evidence does not indicate that cleaning products in some widespread way increase the risk of developing such conditions. Adverse effects are likely to be mainly limited to the triggering of symptoms in existing sufferers – just as many minor irritations such as dust and cold air conditioning do. Adverse effects are much more likely to arise from product misuse or from accidents. Consumer safety is fundamental to the UK Cleaning Products Industry (UKCPI), to a sound and ethical business and to the Industry’s social responsibility as producers of consumer products. All household cleaning products and air fresheners are designed to be
