Regular cleaning is an important part of an asthma and allergy management plan. But many cleaning products contain harmful chemicals.

People with asthma and allergies need cleaners that have lower levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and scents (fragrances), and where any chemicals that can cause allergies are either not present or are present in extremely low concentrations so that they are unlikely to have an allergenic effect.

For cleaning products to be CERTIFIED, they are put through the following tests and must meet our standards:

• Ingredient review: We do a detailed chemical assessment of all the constituents (ingredients) in the cleaner and assess their concentration levels. We want to make sure that any potentially irritant or sensitizing chemicals are present at a low enough level so that the probability of a reaction to them is as low as possible.
• We use the cleaning product in an environmentally controlled chamber, where we can measure all the chemicals released into the air (VOCs). We record the levels after 15 minutes, 90 minutes and 24 hours to make sure that throughout this time period the VOCs remain below certain levels.
• Airborne particle concentration during use must remain below certain levels.
• The cleaners must be able to remove allergens from hard surfaces but must not result in an increase in allergen levels in the air.