Cleaning, polishing, disinfecting: these are part of your daily routine. But did you know that some household products could, in the long term, affect your breathing? A large European study investigated this question, with results that give us pause for thought\u2026<\/p>\n
In 2018, a team of researchers from the University of Bergen, Norway, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine<\/a> the results of an impressive follow-up: 6,235 European adults observed for nearly twenty years, as part of the ECRHS (European Community Respiratory Health Survey).<\/p>\n Through three spirometric examinations conducted over time, scientists measured changes in the participants' lung function. Their main finding concerns women who regularly use household cleaning products, either at home or in a professional setting.<\/p>\n In these women, the decline in respiratory capacity appears slightly more rapid than in those with low exposure. The extent of this decline, over a period of 10 to 20 years, is comparable to that observed in moderate smokers. This is not a sudden effect, but a gradual phenomenon that develops over time.<\/p>\n Everyday products\u2014multi-purpose sprays, floor cleaners, descalers\u2014release chemical fumes when used. Many contain ammonia, chlorine, or quaternary ammonium compounds. In small doses, these substances irritate the bronchial mucous membranes. Repeated week after week, this exposure could contribute to mild chronic inflammation.<\/p>\n Specifically, the study highlights an annual decrease in FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in one second) of 22.1 ml in women who do housework at home, and of 22.4 ml in professional cleaners. In women not exposed to radiation, this decrease is estimated at 18.5 ml per year. Forced vital capacity (FVC) follows the same trend, with an annual reduction of between 13.1 and 15.9 ml depending on the level of exposure.<\/p>\n Among men, the effect is much less pronounced, probably because they are statistically less involved in regular household chores in this cohort. Moreover, 85% of those performing household cleaning in the study were women.<\/p>\n An important point: even weekly use of a single product, whether spray or not, seems to contribute to this cumulative effect. It's the small, repeated exposures that matter.<\/p>\n Healthcare professionals already knew that certain household products could trigger asthma attacks or immediate respiratory symptoms, particularly in cleaning staff. This research highlights a more silent impact, not necessarily accompanied by acute signs.<\/p>\n The study does not show a significant increase in cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the short term. However, the measured decrease in FVC suggests that changes in lung tissue could occur over several decades.<\/p>\n Comparatively, heavy smokers (more than 20 pack-years) experience an annual loss of FEV1 of up to 27 ml. Household cleaning products fall into an intermediate range, close to that of moderate tobacco exposure. This should prompt a re-evaluation of these household actions, often perceived as harmless.<\/p>\n Good news: it's not about giving up on a clean home. It's more about adopting habits that are kinder to your breath.<\/p>\n Ultimately, this study isn't about making you feel guilty, but about informing you. By adjusting a few simple habits, you can preserve your respiratory health in the long term. Breathing freely at 50 or 60 is a gift you can start giving yourself today, without sacrificing your comfort or well-being.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Cleaning, polishing, disinfecting: these are part of your daily routine. But did you know that some household products...","protected":false},"author":8264,"featured_media":435516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_msn":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5639],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-435514","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bien-etre"],"image":{"medium":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Comparables-aux-fumeurs-_-Ce-que-dit-une-etude-sur-les-produits-menagers-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Comparables-aux-fumeurs-_-Ce-que-dit-une-etude-sur-les-produits-menagers-500x281.jpg",500,281,true]},"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Comparables-aux-fumeurs-_-Ce-que-dit-une-etude-sur-les-produits-menagers.jpg","author":{"name":"Ana\u00eblle Gayon","avatar":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Agayon-96x96.jpg"},"categories":[{"term_id":5639,"name":"Well-being","slug":"bien-etre","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5804,"taxonomy":"category","description":" The Well-being section of The Body Optimist shares practical advice on staying active, sleeping better, managing stress and understanding everyday aches and pains. Written for women of every size and body type, it starts from a simple idea: taking care of your body works best through enjoyment and consistency, not pressure or guilt.<\/p>\n When you return to physical activity, consistency matters more than intensity. A few ways to ease back in:<\/p>\n Everyday movement counts too: walking or biking to get around, taking the stairs and gardening all add up as physical activity.<\/p>\n Here, your body isn't a project to fix. We talk about exercise for pleasure, mood and health, never as a way to \u201cmake up for\u201d a meal or to lose weight, and every tip should work for you whatever your body type. The articles in this section provide general information and do not replace advice from a healthcare professional.<\/p>\n The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, such as brisk walking. It also stresses that some activity is better than none: every session counts, even a short one, and what matters most is finding a pace you can keep up over the long run.<\/p>\n Consistency is the first lever: go to bed and get up at similar times, weekends included. A quiet, dark, cool bedroom, less screen time in the evening and a dinner that isn't too late all make it easier to fall asleep. Loud snoring or waking up gasping for air is worth mentioning to your doctor.<\/p>\n Ongoing fatigue can have many causes: lack of sleep, stress or mental overload, but also iron deficiency, a thyroid disorder or depression. If it lasts several weeks despite rest, or comes with other symptoms, see your doctor to find out what's behind it.<\/p>\n Want to go further? Explore all our topics in the Health section<\/a>, follow moms-to-be in the Pregnancy section<\/a> and enjoy a varied way of eating, without restriction, with the Nutrition section<\/a>.<\/p>","parent":360,"count":1718,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":5639,"category_count":1718,"category_description":" The Well-being section of The Body Optimist shares practical advice on staying active, sleeping better, managing stress and understanding everyday aches and pains. Written for women of every size and body type, it starts from a simple idea: taking care of your body works best through enjoyment and consistency, not pressure or guilt.<\/p>\n When you return to physical activity, consistency matters more than intensity. A few ways to ease back in:<\/p>\n Everyday movement counts too: walking or biking to get around, taking the stairs and gardening all add up as physical activity.<\/p>\n Here, your body isn't a project to fix. We talk about exercise for pleasure, mood and health, never as a way to \u201cmake up for\u201d a meal or to lose weight, and every tip should work for you whatever your body type. The articles in this section provide general information and do not replace advice from a healthcare professional.<\/p>\n The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, such as brisk walking. It also stresses that some activity is better than none: every session counts, even a short one, and what matters most is finding a pace you can keep up over the long run.<\/p>\n Consistency is the first lever: go to bed and get up at similar times, weekends included. A quiet, dark, cool bedroom, less screen time in the evening and a dinner that isn't too late all make it easier to fall asleep. Loud snoring or waking up gasping for air is worth mentioning to your doctor.<\/p>\n Ongoing fatigue can have many causes: lack of sleep, stress or mental overload, but also iron deficiency, a thyroid disorder or depression. If it lasts several weeks despite rest, or comes with other symptoms, see your doctor to find out what's behind it.<\/p>\n Want to go further? Explore all our topics in the Health section<\/a>, follow moms-to-be in the Pregnancy section<\/a> and enjoy a varied way of eating, without restriction, with the Nutrition section<\/a>.<\/p>","cat_name":"Well-being","category_nicename":"bien-etre","category_parent":360}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435514","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8264"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=435514"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435514\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":435807,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435514\/revisions\/435807"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/435516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=435514"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=435514"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=435514"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} What happens in the lungs?<\/h2>\n
A risk that has long been underestimated<\/h2>\n
Cleanliness and breathing can go hand in hand<\/h2>\n
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What you'll find in the Well-being section<\/h2>\n
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How do you get back into exercise after a long break?<\/h2>\n
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Our approach<\/h2>\n
Articles to get you started<\/h2>\n
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Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
How much exercise do you need each week?<\/h3>\n
How can you sleep better?<\/h3>\n
Why am I tired all the time?<\/h3>\n
What you'll find in the Well-being section<\/h2>\n
\n
How do you get back into exercise after a long break?<\/h2>\n
\n
Our approach<\/h2>\n
Articles to get you started<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
How much exercise do you need each week?<\/h3>\n
How can you sleep better?<\/h3>\n
Why am I tired all the time?<\/h3>\n