to not understand why people spend money to pollute their homes with pointless chemicals?

[tomorrowisanotherdate]

scent boosters, to go in laundry, air fresheners that squirt puffs of pollutants at you - the tv is full of adverts for these things, so presumably someone is buying them. I just don't get it though. Loading your family's home atmosphere with a load of unnecessary and unpleasant air pollutants, and paying for the privilege? Why?

That's too many, and would make me wonder just what they were trying to mask!

I've never heard of njo and I have never said that anything synthetic is toxic and everything natural is safe, in fact speak out against this mistaken belief regularly

But surely you have things you do because you like them even if they aren't good for the planet?

Processed foods? Clothing made in awful factories? Electronics? Your phone?

These things all have consequences and a human cost.

This one you can't seem to understand but if someone picked through your lifestyle they'd likely find things you do that harm the environment just as baffling.

I agree completely, those awful fragrances and horrific. I got a sample and tried it and they stunk out the house and triggered a migraine attack!

Sometimes when I order Vinted parcels and I can smell the clothes before I've opened the parcel, makes me ill to think of how much these peoples houses must smell like fake fragrance 🤢

An overly scented home makes me think they're trying to cover up something stinky.

Quite.

And yet claims to be a scientist.
Which is, frankly, disconcerting.
It's like the ridiculous "clean beauty" myth.

And people who rub their pits with a stone and think they don't smell like they've rubbed their pits with a stone. 😳

But constantly subjecting yourself, the environment and your children to continuous toxic air- why? What’s wrong with fresh air?

Well I'm not a fan of these things at all because they give me headaches and I don't like the chemical aspect, but god there are some superior twats on this thread.

Of course, plenty of natural toxins. Don’t they test for radon during a house purchase?

I for one love the smell of a vanilla air freshener (no idea, but assume it’s a manufactured sub and not real vanilla), but I can’t believe they are good to inhale.

What’s wrong with fresh air?

Well, if I open my windows at certain times of year, my house smells of slurry, manure and fertiliser from the farms.

Hardly fresh and pleasant! It's the same reason why I don't always dry washing on the line.

Natural "fresh" air often smells pretty grim.

But even if you like the smell, how does that justify the money, and the damage to the environment and to human health?

I assume every single thing you own is essential and non-harmful then?

I think depending on where you live it's naive to assume fresh air exists.

I live in Toronto and I'm under no illusions about the air I breathe.

I was once an aromatherapist so I'm picky about smells and what I'm breathing in.

But I also ate a greasy pizza earlier with pepperoni with my son so I'm certainly not pretending to be a pillar of purity.

So don’t open your windows and put a few drops of natural oil in a bowl of water if you really need to.

Agree. It's quite funny to read from an objective point of view.

So piling on a catalogue of toxic chemicals on top of the air you breathe 24/7 is the answer?

Some essential oils are extremely toxic.

So pick a non toxic one if you really need to.

That is a better word, many of those things are carcinogens.

Well, d'oh.
It was just your sweeping belief that "natural" = good, and chemical = bad.

PS the OP (who is a SCIENTIST and has met BRIAN COX) can probably tell you why there are probably as many pollutants coming from your soft furnishings (your post from earlier) than from a Yankee Candle.

But then again. She'll probably just also link to another "natural" blog.

Can't use any of it, it makes me physically sick and I have headaches. I prefer opening Windows whenever possible at least once a week , most days if not too cold and set and if I use anything I'll light an incense stick the only thing that doesn't make me vomit but even that only for a minute or two.

My point is while I personally don't use those things, the smugness of people on here is absurd.

We all do things that harm the environment. You're not perfect either.

If some people find these things make them happier in their home, who cares?

If we picked through your life, my life, anyone, we would all find unhealthy things that horrify others

I think you'll find that lavender is in a lot of air fresheners, laundry stuff etc

But pumping toxins into your lungs and those of your children isn’t necessary. The manufacture and use of these products damage the environment .I actually try to limit damage I make to the environment and health of my children as much as I can. Yes there are some things I can’t control but I can not add additional toxins into the air they breath in their homeanybody can. Some choose not to. No smugness here just utter bemusement.

Along with a shed load of other shit.

My kid is allergic to linalool and limonene, both ‘natural’ and both in almost all fragranced products. My house smells of nothing. The majority of the ‘fake‘ fragrances people refer to on here contain the above, as do all the ‘natural’ fragrances. I have very limited scientific knowledge and I am not obsessed with pollution or the environment, suffice to say a lot of things people think are ‘clean’ and ‘safe’ are not. I really miss having fragranced products but it’s not worth the congestion and infected skin rashes.

I agree with the OP, the stench of products like febreze is horrendous, toxic and totally unnecessary to use. Even brand new clothes stink, it's almost impossible to remove the stench, esp. with polyester clothing. Due to my partners allergies (she carries an adrenaline auto injector) our home has been perfume free since 2002, most people are desensitised to the smells of all those products, as proved by this thread.

Visitors - usually family have to be told not to wear perfumes, aftershave and the like. Most washing up liquids are truely awful as well, as is soap, shampoo, even anti bacterial hand gel.