Said It Here

How to stop inhaling harsh cleaning chemical sprays and mist

Household cleaning products release fine mists and dusts that are easily breathed in without realizing it, triggering headaches, migraines, and asthma flares. This constant irritation forces people to either adopt physical barriers like face masks or completely overhaul their cleaning supplies to avoid physical distress.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

  1. 1
    Opening windows for ventilation
  2. 2
    Switching to less toxic or alternative household cleaners
  3. 3
    Wearing a face mask (such as an FFP2 or cloth mask) while cleaning
  4. 4
    Using a proper respirator with a carbon filter
  5. 5
    relying on the fact that normal exhaust heat is not hot enough to create phosgene compared to welding arcs
  6. 6
    letting the liquid flash off quickly

In their words

Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.

I no longer get headaches, migraines, or asthma flares after dusting or cleaning the bathroom (the worst offenders).source ↗

I've changed out many of my household cleaners to be a bit less poisonous to my body, but generally, a lot of things shouldn't be inhaled that are really easy to inhale without thinking about it.source ↗

TheChromasphere · r/CleaningTips · 1 upvotes

I'm using the ones I used during COVID, so an FFP2 mask, just to avoid inhaling the spray mist.source ↗

teggile · r/CleaningTips · 1 upvotes

I’m worried that some brake clean got on the exhaust and put out phosgene gas.source ↗

MinimumFeedback1525 · r/MechanicAdvice

Where this came up

People with this problem also raised