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Cleaning sprays have an impact on lung health comparable to cigarettes

independent.co.uk

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Re: Cleaning sprays have an impact on lung health comparable to cigarettes

#111

Post by kristiandupont »

kpil wrote: post #103
outlace wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Per the hygiene hypothesis, I wonder if your allergies got better because you’re exposing yourself to more (generally harmless) microorganisms and hence challenging your immune system more. Since I’m sure lactic acid doesn’t sterilize as well as some strong bleach or other chemical.

The idea that allergies somehow are caused by our sterile lifestyle is suspicious at best. It's might just be an appeal to nature - "all natural ingredients" fallacy. I claim that an individual has never before - in the history of mankind - been exposed to so many and different microorganisms as we are now. Comparing my daughter to my granddad, born 99 years before her, she probably meets as many "new" people per wee…

I am reading An Epidemic of Absence (http://www.moisesvm.com/) which explores the hypothesis and it presents a plethora of cases and studies that support it. I have not searched for counter points but it seems pretty solid to me. I can recommend the book by the way.

Re: Cleaning sprays have an impact on lung health comparable to cigarettes

#112

Post by code_duck »

fitzroy wrote: post #8

I use vinegar for light cleaning and dusting, and rubbing alcohol for almost all other household cleaning now. Isopropyl alcohol is basically magic — it sterilizes and completely evaporates with no lingering residue or fragrances. And a steam mop for the floor.

When possible, I prefer to use ethanol over isopropyl. Isopropyl alcohol is toxic in a rather unpleasant way, while ethyl alcohol’s toxicity is well understood and tolerated.

Re: Cleaning sprays have an impact on lung health comparable to cigarettes

#113

Post by code_duck »

ben509 wrote: post #17

I assume "comparable" means "similar" in this sense. But there's nothing about lung cancer, which makes the impact on lung health not remotely similar to a pack a day cigarette habit.

Smoking diminishes lung function in many ways other than eventual risk of cancer. Not every smoker gets cancer, by far, but every one has their lung function decreased.

Re: Cleaning sprays have an impact on lung health comparable to cigarettes

#114

Post by truculation »

WiseWeasel wrote: post #60
truculation wrote: post #20

Presumably better to twist nozzle to jet spray rather than mist spray?

I would think better to pour onto a container, soak a sponge, and apply.

Or squirt directly into/onto the damp sponge/cloth.

Re: Cleaning sprays have an impact on lung health comparable to cigarettes

#115

Post by nextos »

outlace wrote: post #69
nextos wrote: post #12

I clean with a steamer. It doesn't project particles, and it's extremely good at disinfecting. I also use a vacuum cleaner with exceptionally low dust re-emission. And an air purifier. The only "chemicals" I use are an extremely mild lactic acid based cleaner and a pre/probiotic on toilets and kitchen tops. And I don't use any fragrances anywhere. My allergy problems have disappeared. I really recommend this approach…

Per the hygiene hypothesis, I wonder if your allergies got better because you’re exposing yourself to more (generally harmless) microorganisms and hence challenging your immune system more. Since I’m sure lactic acid doesn’t sterilize as well as some strong bleach or other chemical.

I never cleaned much before. I think the key is that I now get rid of some nasty allergens very efficiently (e.g dust mites or diesel fumes with my air filter) and I don't spread around artificial fragrances.

Re: Cleaning sprays have an impact on lung health comparable to cigarettes

#116

Post by glenneroo »

bognition wrote: post #110
vwbl8s6fgeo wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

except that the genetic code is highly modular with multiple hierarchies, we just don't know how to read it yet

If we can't read it how do we know it's modular?

Perhaps an apt analogy would be giving a copy of Tolstoy's War and Peace to a ~5-year old and seeing how much they can read, assuming they can read/identify/understand a small handful of words.

Re: Cleaning sprays have an impact on lung health comparable to cigarettes

#117

Post by nextos »

vymague wrote: post #105
nextos wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use a Kärcher SC3 steam cleaner. It's cheap (~€100) and pretty good. Even the SC2 is decent. As an alternative, Polti high-end ones are excellent. They invented domestic steamers, and I've seen some used at hospitals. The have accessories for e.g. steaming your mattress to get rid of dust mites. I use a Miele C3 Silence vacuum cleaner. It's the cheapest (~€220) Miele vacuum cleaner that has top (A class in EU) filt…

I wonder, what's your opinion about DIY air filters? Like a box fan plus a furnace filter. Both are not common in Europe, but you could get a different type of fan, and affordable HEPA filters from aliexpress.

Good air filters are complex, not just an HEPA filter, but a series of stages. And an active carbon filter for chemicals.

Re: Cleaning sprays have an impact on lung health comparable to cigarettes

#118

Post by innagadadavida »

nextos wrote: post #31
hartator wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am curious as well what steamer and products you are using?

I use a Kärcher SC3 steam cleaner. It's cheap (~€100) and pretty good. Even the SC2 is decent. As an alternative, Polti high-end ones are excellent. They invented domestic steamers, and I've seen some used at hospitals. The have accessories for e.g. steaming your mattress to get rid of dust mites. I use a Miele C3 Silence vacuum cleaner. It's the cheapest (~€220) Miele vacuum cleaner that has top (A class in EU) filt…

Do the steam cleaners work with hard water? Our area has really hard water and I need to use a reverse osmosis filter even for our humidifier otherwise the scaling is really bad and accumulates quickly.

Re: Cleaning sprays have an impact on lung health comparable to cigarettes

#119

Post by excalibur »

refurb wrote: post #23

As a former chemist, call me suspicious of these findings. Can cleaners be an irritant to the lungs? Of course. Inhaling a lot of things can be an irritant. Most cleaners that consumers use are surfactants sometimes mixed with alkylbenzonium disinfectants (in very low concentration). Even cleaners that are ammonia based aren't harmful. Now on the professional side, I could believe there is risk. Some of those chemica…

I'm not a chemist at all, but I know that there are a lot of variables here. A link between particular cleaning products and poor lung function on the basis of anecdotal evidence about how often people clean seems tenuous at best.

Re: Cleaning sprays have an impact on lung health comparable to cigarettes

#120

Post by DoreenMichele »

uxcolumbo wrote: post #101
DoreenMichele wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. Spartan life. Dust is created by not just hair and skin but all upholstered items, cloth items, books, particle board etc. The less of that you have, the less dust and dirt you have. 2. No deep frying. It's the single nastiest way to cook and coats the entire kitchen in grease. It also is terrible for your health. 3. Keep your own hair short and do a lot of walking. The lymphatic system is powered by motion. It is…

Thanks. Agree, deep frying should be avoided greases up surfaces even with an extractor. And I'm a fan of minimalism too.

You can have glass, metal and hard plastics for furnishings. Those are less problematic than upholstered items, wood, particle board, curtains, etc. Though you can run into acoustic issues with so many hard surfaces. Having a wood floor helps some with acoustics and is much cleaner than carpeting.
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