What are VOCs?

VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are chemicals that evaporate into the air at room temperature (think anything that comes out of an aerosol can). They are found in many household products, including paints, cleaning supplies, air fresheners, and building materials.

Over time, VOCs can accumulate indoors, leading to poor air quality and potential health risks. Many of these things can be harmless or temporary in small doses but eventually your immune system just gets overwhelmed.

Short-term exposure to VOCs can cause cold-like symptoms including headaches, dizziness, and irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat.

Long-term exposure has been linked to more serious health issues, including respiratory problems and even certain cancers.

What are the biggest VOC offenders?

Here’s a list of some of the words offenders that off-gas or leave toxic chemicals in their wake. Yes that light headedness from the glue or markers you got in middle school was real and it turns out, not good for you!:

Paints, Stains, and Varnishes:
Oil-based paints
Wood stains and sealants
Spray paints
Lacquers

Cleaning Supplies:
Air fresheners and scented sprays (yes, throw away the glade plug in)
Disinfectants and degreasers
Bleach
Carpet and upholstery cleaners

Building Materials & Home Improvement Products:
Plywood, particleboard, and Medium density fiberboard and really any engineered wood product because most of them use formaldehyde to recombine the wood
Adhesives and glues
Caulks and sealants
Vinyl flooring and synthetic carpets
New foam mattresses off-gas lots of VOCs when you first get them (and some will keep off-gassing)
Carpet and upholstery cleaners

Personal Care Products:
Perfumes and body sprays (sorry axe)
Nail polish and nail polish remover
Hair sprays and styling products

Home Fragrances & Candles:
Scented candles (especially paraffin-based)
Incense and plug-in air fresheners
Essential oil diffusers with synthetic additives

Office & Art Supplies:
Permanent markers and whiteboard markers
Printer ink and toner
Glues and adhesives
Spray adhesives and fixatives

If it has a “chemical scent” even if you like the smell, those are the VOCs that you’re smelling and you should use cautiously in well ventilated area.

What are the most common issues caused by VOCs?

Short term issues caused by VOCs are almost always respiratory or skin related and long term your body can just become overwhelmed causing major issues including:

- Liver/kidney damage
- Mood and memory issues
- Increased cancer risk if the VOCs are carcinogenic

Who is most at risk of VOCs?

This is probably obvious but worth stating that the folks most at risk are people with new or compromised immune systems and people that work around VOCs all day long. This includes:

- Children and the elderly
- People with asthma or allergies
- Workers in construction, painting, or manufacturing

How can you reduce VOCs?

VOCs are typically much easier to reduce than mold because you can more easily identify the source and either throw away the culprit(s) or adjust your habits. Here are some common ways we like to suggest reducing VOCs in your home

- Throw away all artificial scents. This includes perfumes, candles, plugins, body wash, car air fresheners are all some of the worst offenders
- Choose low-VOC or VOC-free products such as non-toxic water based markers for kids
- Improve indoor ventilation - open your windows or install a whole house fan to move air through your home
- Use air purifiers with activated carbon filters
- Consider Claro’s dry fog to do a VOC reset