We carry man-made pollutants in our bodies. We get them from the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the products we use to “clean” our homes and make them “smell nice” and the products we put on our bodies each day.

I have been paying a lot of attention to TV and magazine ads these days. The first thing I have noticed is there is a steady stream of ads touting skin creams and lotions from companies that top Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ list for worst offenders of chemicals in personal care products.

But I have also noticed a huge increase in the number of products that are out there to make our homes smell good. It is astounding. Just from Glade alone there are spray cans of air fresheners, “plug-ins” so we get chemicals in our air 24/7, candles, waxless candles, and oils. Do our homes smell THAT bad?

WebMD did an article recently about the dangers of burning candles in the home. Some wicks have lead in them and can cause lead poisoning. Additionally, the soot in the air can cause air quality issues.

From the article: “Candles are fast becoming one of the most common unrecognized causes of poor indoor air quality,” says Diane Walsh Astry, Executive Director of the Health House Project, an American Lung Association education project in St. Paul, Minnesota.

We really just need to stop wasting our money on these products that not only unnecessary, but they are potentially harmful. Want your house to smell nice? Buy some flowers. Open the windows. Bake something.