As an exclusive to the Housekeeping Channel, we asked Dr. William E. Berger — one of the nation's foremost experts on allergies and asthma — to share the top 10 things you should know before using household cleaning chemicals. Here are Dr. Berger's tips:

 

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1. According to Environmental Protection Agency studies, indoor air can contain as much as 70 times the pollution of outdoor air.
   
   
2. Most people spend 90 percent of their time indoors, 60 percent of that time at home.
   
   
3. Indoor air quality is far more dangerous to human health than outdoor air quality.
   
   
4. A major contributor to indoor air pollution is the large number of household chemical cleaning products found in most home cabinets.
   
   
5. Wheezing in children has been associated with high levels of household chemical cleaning products.
   
   
6. Chlorine bleach used as a powerful cleaner and whitener in the laundry room, bath, and kitchen can, if misused, cause inflammation of the sinuses and airways of the lungs.
   
   
7. Volatile organic compounds (VOC's) — chemical irritants found in a variety of cleaning products — are known to trigger asthma attacks.
   
   
8. Fragrances added to cleaners can cause asthma sufferers with irritated airways to experience worsened symptoms when exposed to these substances.
   
   
9. Many cleaning alternatives are available that are safer for individuals with asthma and other allergic conditions.
   
   
10. Even small changes made to improve indoor air quality can make a significant difference for people with respiratory problems.

 

About William E. Berger, M.D., M.B.A.

Board-certified in two separate specialties (Pediatrics and Allergy and Immunology), Dr. Berger has had extensive clini­cal experience in diagnosing and treating patients with allergies and asthma for more than 20 years. He holds dual appointments at the University of California, Irvine, as Clinical Professor in the College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, and as Adjunct Professor of Health Care Management in the Graduate School of Management. In addition, he has also served as principal investigator in numerous clinical research projects. He is the author of the best-selling book, Asthma for Dummies.