Are cleaning products REALLY safe? Company that makes Mr Muscle, Glade and Toilet Duck reveals their secret ingredients to reassure customers


SC Johnson, which makes Mr Muscle, Glade and Toilet Duck products, has released a list of the ingredients in the fragrances found in its European products

Many people worry about dangerous chemicals in their cleaning products.

Now, in a bid to allay fears, a leading company has revealed the ‘secret’ ingredients in its range.

SC Johnson, which makes Mr Muscle, Glade and Toilet Duck products, has released a list of the ingredients in the fragrances found in its European products.

The company says this is part of their long-term efforts to ‘transform ingredient transparency’ – but critics have voiced concerns about the health problems associated with such fragrances.

Fragrances, also known as ‘parfums’, are commonly used in chemical sprays, plug-ins and gels – and are hugely popular.

But they have long been a source of controversy with some investigators warning that they can include an array of hazardous substances which may cause lung damage and tumours, interfere with our hormones and cause life-long problems such as asthma.

In fact, the news comes just as a York University study about to be published warns the biggest cause of air pollution in homes is no longer outdoor pollution, but fragranced products.

Last June, SC Johnson published information on most of the ingredients in its products for the first time – but came under fire for omitting specific details of fragrances.

Critics said these fragrances could each be made up of several hundred different chemicals – some of which could be dangerous.

At the time, SC Johnson insisted all the fragrance ingredients, even those not listed, were safe.

Now, it has gone a step further and created an ‘ingredient website’, whatsinsidescjohnson.co.uk, which lists all ingredients in its brands.

This follows a survey the company conducted with European consumers, they found that a full two-thirds said it was important for companies to be transparent about ingredients.

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Glade air fresheners, made by SC Johnson, contain an ingredient called limonene, used to give products a citrus smell.

In low levels it is considered so safe it is also used as a flavouring in foods.

But one study, by Professor Alastair Lewis, of York University, found once sprayed into our homes it doesn’t stay as limonene as it reacts with other gases which occur naturally in the air to create something else. 

He discovered that on exposure to ozone – which is present in the air all around us – every two molecules of limonene could produce one molecule of another chemical, formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is used in embalming and heavy industry. It is a known cause of cancer in humans and in high levels can seriously affect health.

It is most closely linked with cancers of the nose and throat, and at the very least, it can cause sore throats, coughs, scratchy eyes and nosebleeds. 

SC Johnson has previously said that all its fragrance ingredients are safe.

Fisk Johnson, SC Johnson’s chairman and CEO said: ‘We believe consumers should know a product’s ingredients so they can make educated choices about what they bring into their homes.

‘Providing ingredient transparency allows for straightforward dialogue about specific ingredients.  

‘Clearly this is an important issue in Europe. We are finding it is equally important globally as well.’

He added: ‘Fragrances play an important role in many of our products, and disclosing the ingredients of which they are composed helps build consumer trust, and is ultimately good for our business.’

But scientists and campaigners have voiced concerns about fragrances – including those found in SC Johnson’s products.

One hotly debate ingredient is limonene, used to give a citrus smell to scented candles and cleaning products.

In low levels it is considered so safe it is also used as a flavouring in foods.

But one study, by Professor Alastair Lewis, of York University, found once sprayed into our homes it doesn’t stay as limonene as it reacts with other gases which occur naturally in the air to create something else. 

He discovered that on exposure to ozone – which is present in the air all around us – every two molecules of limonene could produce one molecule of another chemical, formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is used in embalming and heavy industry. It is a known cause of cancer in humans and in high levels can seriously affect health.

The company also makes Toilet Duck (left), Pledge and Glade products. Some Glade air fresheners (right) contain an ingredient called limonene, used to give products a citrus smell – but a study has found the ingredient can react with other gases which occur naturally in the air to create formaldehyde, a potentially cancer-causing chemical

It is most closely linked with cancers of the nose and throat, and at the very least, it can cause sore throats, coughs, scratchy eyes and nosebleeds. 

And for years, SC Johnson has been at loggerheads with environmental health campaigners, however, over its use of the synthetic musks galaxolide and tonalide.

The American pressure group, Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE), produced a report in April last year claiming the musks can build up in our bodies and particularly in breast milk.

WVE believes that these musks are potentially dangerous, particularly to babies, because they may interfere with hormonal development. ‘The potential health impacts of synthetic musk exposure so early in life are still unknown,’ it warns.

SC Johnson disagrees, however, and its website argues: ‘Despite what has been inaccurately reported, galaxolide and tonalide are not classified as hormone disruptors.

‘Safety evaluations have deemed them safe for use in consumer products such as air fresheners.’