Every time you use bleach or washing up liquid you could be

breathing in toxic chemicals, and putting yourself at risk of

breathing problems and allergies.

Astonishingly,  people who regularly clean their homes can have a 14% higher risk of lung function decline, and bleach and ammonia can cause skin irritation and even run the risk of cancer.

Specifically, Benzalkonium chloride is a disinfectant added to many household cleaners, and is linked to intense skin, eye, and respiratory irritation, along with allergies. Furthermore, chlorine based agents such as sodium hypochlorite, are used in the majority of bleaches, and even a very low concentrate can cause irritation to the eyes, skin, and airways.

MI, known as methylisothiazolinone, has been connected with dermatitis and can cause severe red, itchy and blistered skin. Furthermore, a substance called limonene is often added to cleaning products to give them a citrus smell, and when expressed to the air around us, it turns into formaldehyde, and can be linked to cancer.

Everybody loses link function slowly as we age, but it has recently been proven that exposure to fumes from cleaning products can significantly escalate the damage. Familiarity breeds complacency, and therefore the damage these products can do to your body is commonly miscalculated.

Shockingly, the number of people affected by eczema has doubled in the past 30 years, and this is blamed on chemicals called isothiazolinones. This product is used in polishes, detergents and fabric softeners, even in products that are labelled for sensitive skin.

Overall, it is vital to read the small print on labels to ensure the products you are using are actually skin-friendly; many products that advertise as such also show a contradictory warning that the product might cause skin irritation.