Sustainability
Your cleaner and the air inside your home
What the US EPA says about volatile organic compounds indoors, why cleaning products are part of the picture, and simple ways to cut exposure at home.
We clean to make a home healthier. It is odd, then, that the act of cleaning can leave the air inside worse for a while. The reason is a family of chemicals called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.
What the EPA says
The US Environmental Protection Agency states that levels of several organic compounds average 2 to 5 times higher indoors than outdoors, and that during and for several hours after some activities, levels can be far higher [1]. Among the household sources it lists are cleansers and disinfectants, alongside paints, waxes and air fresheners [1][2].
Indian kitchens and bathrooms are often small and closed, especially in apartments. That makes ventilation matter even more.
Simple habits that help
The EPA's own advice is practical [1]:
- Increase ventilation when you use products that release VOCs. Open a window, run the exhaust fan.
- Use products exactly as the label says. More is not cleaner.
- Buy in quantities you will use soon, and dispose of old containers safely.
Where formulation comes in
This is the problem that started NoN, our household range. We wanted cleaners that do the job without harsh fumes in a closed kitchen. NoN uses fermented fruit enzymes and plant-based surfactants, and every NoN formula leaves out chlorine, ammonia, parabens, phosphates, sulfates and formaldehyde. Every ingredient is on the label.
No cleaner is a reason to stop ventilating. But choosing products with fewer harsh volatiles, and using the right dose, both make a difference you can smell.
Quick answers
Are indoor VOC levels higher than outdoor levels?
Yes. According to the US EPA, levels of several organic compounds average 2 to 5 times higher indoors than outdoors, and can be much higher during and after some activities.
Do cleaning products release VOCs?
Some do. The US EPA lists cleansers and disinfectants among household sources of volatile organic compounds. Ventilating while cleaning and following label directions reduces exposure.