Sweetened vanilla, calming lavender, or fragrant jasmine and lotus may fill your home with enticing aromas. But new research shows that the supposed stress-reducing and mood-enhancing effects of scented products may come with unwanted indoor pollution.
“While these products are widely used to create a cozy atmosphere, their emissions can impact indoor air quality, especially in spaces with limited ventilation,” says Nusrat Jung, a civil engineer at Purdue University.
Jung became interested in the quality of our indoor atmosphere after walking through grocery store aisles that had scented candles, wax melts, and other fragrance-releasing items.
“These products are marketed as safe and clean, but we wanted to investigate what else they might be releasing into the air besides pleasant scents,” she says.
