Jul 10
31
Cleaners Linked to Breast Cancer
Before I tell you about this interesting study, I must warn you that it has been criticized for being potentially misleading or even downright inaccurate. Now, of course, the people who are making these claims come from cleaning groups, but it’s always good to hear every side of the story. And quite frankly, I can see how such a study might be flawed since it is asking women, both those whom have had breast cancer and those who have not, to recall years back what types of cleaners they used around the house.
These types of studies are almost always somewhat flawed and open to criticism precisely because they do rely on people’s memories and maybe even their subconscious biases. Let’s face it, we all tend to remember things differently. Nonetheless, it’s good to hear out this study and make the decision for yourself as to whether you might want to change your cleaning products or at least mind the time that you are actually in contact with them.
A link was apparently seen between women who used certain types of common household cleaners and those that developed breast cancer. The link was only seen in certain types of cleaners, and one of them was mold cleaner, which I’m assuming is the kind you use to clean your shower and get that soap scum off, which I’m pretty sure nearly every women has in her cleaning arsenal.
This definitely made me think twice about getting in an enclosed tub or shower to clean my stuff myself when I thought about it. Another one that was identified as a possible factor in increasing breast cancer odds was air fresheners. I hate air fresheners, and honestly, I gotta say with this one, I’ve always felt like spraying those heavily perfumed sprays could not be good for my health. Heck, they SMELL like chemicals!
The key here is that you stay away from heavy chemical smells. The biggest offenders that were identified as being possible hormonal disrupters, which add to the likelihood of breast cancer, were the ones that were most heavily filled with chemicals, and chemicals often give off a very distinct and strong smell.
