Researchers at Harvard University and the French National Institue of Health and Medical Research have found that regular use of bleach and other disinfectants may increase your chances of developing fatal lung disease.

Research shows that people who used harsh cleaning products such as bleach, once a week, had up to a 32% increased chance of developing fatal lung disease. Researchers looked at more than 55,000 nurses in the U.S, because they use disinfectants to clean on a regular basis. Of the 55,000 nurses, 37% use disinfectants to clean surfaces on a weekly basis, and 19% used them to clean medical instruments weekly.

Related: How to Use Vinegar and Baking Soda to Clean Your Home

Fatal lung disease, also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is present in 1.2 million people in the U.K and kills 25,000 people a year in the U.K.

To the best of our knowledge we are the first to report a link between disinfectants and COPD among healthcare workers, and to investigate specific chemicals that may underlie this association…Some of these disinfectants, such as bleach and quats, are frequently used in ordinary households, and the potential impact of domestic use of disinfectants on COPD development is unknown…Earlier studies have found a link between asthma and exposure to cleaning products and disinfectants at home, such as bleach and sprays, so it is important to investigate this further

Study: Weekly Use of Disinfectants Greatly Increases Your Risk of Fatal Lung Disease

Scientists at Norway’s University of Bergen found that using toxic cleaning products has as much of an impact on health as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.

The study tracked 6,000 people, with an average age of 34 at the time of enrollment in the study, who used the cleaning products over a period of two decades, according to the research published in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.Lung function declined in women who regularly used cleaning products. They, such as those who worked as cleaners, was equivalent over the period to those with a 20-cigarette daily smoking habit.

Related: How to Clean Your Floors with Homemade Non-toxic Cleaners Instead of Store Bought Chemicals

While the short-term effects of cleaning chemicals on asthma are becoming increasingly well documented, we lack knowledge of the long-term impact. We feared that such chemicals, by steadily causing a little damage to the airways day after day, year after year, might accelerate the rate of lung function decline that occurs with age.” – Dr. Cecile Svanes, professor at the University of Bergen in Norway, senior author of the study.

Must Read: How To Heal Your Gut

The study measured lung function by testing the amount of air the subjects could forcefully breathe out. They examined the results alongside a questionnaire where participants were asked about they use cleaning products. The study found that women who used the cleaning products regularly have decreased lung capacity and an increased rate of asthma. The products seemed to affect women more than men, though the scientists noted that the number of male participants was limited. The mode of chemical cleaner—be it spray or other liquid—was not statistically relevant, only that a chemical cleaner was used.

When you think of inhaling small particles from cleaning agents that are meant for cleaning the floor and not your lungs, maybe it is not so surprising after all.” – Øistein Svanes, a doctoral student.

Recommended Reading:

• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Start Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet
• How to Make the Healthiest Smoothies – 4 Recipes
• Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones