Everyday chores like vacuuming and cooking ‘release harmful pollutants’ into your home
Exposure to persistently high levels of pollutants can cause headaches and nausea and damage the vital organs
AIR freshener sprays, vacuuming and cooking create damaging air pollution indoors, tests say.
Scientists at consumer group Which? tested the effects of everyday chores in the home.
They discovered high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), up to 34 times the recommended maximum, were found in every room of the house.
Air particles rose by up to 560 times and carbon dioxide reached triple the recommended limit.
People who suffer from asthma or those with lung or heart disease are more vulnerable to the effects of the indoor pollutants.
The VOCs are released during activities such as cooking on gas rings, using toasters, lighting wood and coal fires as well as burning candles. Using the vacuum and spraying air fresheners which contain limonene and pinene (familiar lemon and pine smells used in scented toiletries and bathroom cleaners) also contributes to the level of VOCs in the air.