Cleaning products: Their chemistry, effects on indoor air quality, and implications for human health

The use of cleaning and disinfecting products both at work and at home increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those products often include surfactants, acids/bases, carcinogens such as chloroform, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as cyclosiloxanes, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances, which may cause harmful health effects among professional cleaners as well as among people exposed at home or in their workplaces. The aim of this study was to synthesize the effects of the commonly used chemical, surface cleaning and disinfecting products on indoor air quality, focusing on chemical and particulate matter pollutants, exposure, and human health in residential and public buildings. We also provide a summary of recommendations to avoid harmful exposure and suggest future research directions. PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science (WoS) were used to search the literature. Analysis of the literature revealed that the use of cleaning products and disinfectants increase occupants' exposure to a variety of harmful chemical air contaminants and to particulate matter. Occupational exposure to cleaning and disinfectant products has been linked to an increased risk of asthma and rhinitis. Residential exposure to cleaning products has been shown to have an adverse effect on respiratory health, particularly on asthma onset, and on the occurrence of asthma(-like) symptoms among children and adults. Efforts to reduce occupants' exposure to cleaning chemicals will require lowering the content of hazardous substances in cleaning products and improving ventilation during and after cleaning. Experimentally examined, best cleaning practices as well as careful selection of cleaning products can minimize the burden of harmful air pollutant exposure indoors. In addition, indirect ways to reduce exposure include increasing people's awareness of the harmfulness of cleaning chemicals and of safe cleaning practices, as well as clear labelling of cleaning and disinfecting products.