Protect IAQ when Selecting Cleaning Products

IAQ, cleaning product, VOC   August 30, 2010




It has been found that air quality is often times worse indoors than outdoors. This is due to numerous factors but one contributor is the cleaning chemicals used inside buildings. Making some simple choices when selecting cleaning products can help mitigate their negative effect on indoor air quality. The chief consideration is to minimize the chance of inhalation.

Consider buying a product as a liquid rather than as a powder. Likewise consider using coarse nozzle sprays rather than fine sprays. Fine droplets can be inhaled deep into the lungs where they can cause damage but larger droplets tend of fall out of the air, or be stopped at the nose.

Select the products that give off the fewest vapors. Use water-based products whenever possible instead of solvent-based products. There are now myriad options in low VOC cleaning products. You can use third party certifiers to help qualify which products will provide the performance you desire.

Lastly, be sure to keep cleaning product containers capped or closed in between uses.

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