VOCs and Clothing: What You Need to Know
As we discussed in our last blog, volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are toxic gasses emitted from chemicals in everyday items which can cause a number of health symptoms and issues.
So, what are some of the biggest sources of VOCs?
Clothing & VOCs
Believe it or not, there are usually VOCs in new clothes, especially those wrapped in plastic like men’s shirts and socks. Textiles are not regulated for VOCs, so anything that is wrinkle free, permanent press, or crease resistant generally contains formaldehyde. Many clothing dyes even contain VOCs. Luckily, it is usually as easy as running it through the wash a few times to rinse out those chemicals.
VOCs and Dry-Cleaning
Dry cleaning can cause a more serious threat to your health and the environment. Most dry-cleaning processes use the dangerous chemical tetrachloroethylene, which is widely used as a scouring solvent that removes oils from fabrics, as a carrier solvent, as a fabric finish or water repellent. Exposure to tetrachloroethylene can cause a host of health issues, including irritation to the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and respiratory system. It has also been shown to cause liver damage and is a potential occupational carcinogen.
Another dangerous VOC-emitting chemical used in dry cleaning is perchloroethylene. According to the Occidental College’s Pollution Prevention Center, 85% of the nearly 40,000 dry cleaners in the United States use perchloroethylene (or “perc”) as a solvent in their dry-cleaning process.
Perc is a synthetic VOC that poses a health risk to humans, as well as a threat to the environment. Minimal contact with perc can cause headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, and skin and respiratory irritation. Prolonged perc exposure has been linked to liver and kidney damage, and cancer. Perc has also been identified as a “probable” human carcinogen by California’s Proposition 65.
Perc can enter the body through drinking water contamination, dermal exposure, or most frequently, inhalation. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found that clothes dry cleaned with perc can elevate levels of the chemical throughout a home, especially in the room where the garments are stored. It is also transmitted through a nursing mother’s milk.
Green Dry Cleaning
A healthier option is using an eco-friendly dry cleaner that does not use these harsh chemicals, but rather liquid carbon dioxide cleaning or professional wet cleaning. But do your research because all “environmentally safe” dry cleaners are not equal. Ask them if their dry-cleaning process is completely VOC free, and what their process is.
If you are concerned about VOCs in your home or workplace, contact RTK for testing and more information at 800.392.6468 or click here. Stay tuned for part 3, or read part 1 here.
Common Symptoms of VOC Exposure Include:
Problem is, VOCs are found in thousands of different household and office products, from electronics to paint to carpeting to furniture, and are off-gassed over time. That means your home’s indoor air quality is likely to become polluted. Now, especially during flu season and the coronavirus pandemic, when these diseases affect the lungs even more, we need to be extra vigilant about keeping indoor air as clean as possible. Otherwise, the impact of VOCs on your health can be pretty steep.
One of the biggest sources of formaldehyde, in particular, are new building materials, according to an article in the 
Open your windows – even for just a few minutes a day – to circulate fresh air.
With winter in full swing, we tend to focus on conserving heat in our homes and tightly latch storm windows, secure the doors from drafts, and check the attic insulation. But we should be thinking about keeping our homes healthy as well. Unfortunately, many homes, especially newer ones, are built so airtight that they cannot breathe – literally! So, a warm and cozy house becomes a “sick home”.
Inadequate ventilation is a top cause of sick home syndrome. The newer “air-tight” homes are sealed so well that hardly any fresh air enters. Moisture builds up but can’t escape and that makes a perfect breeding ground for mold. Without fresh air circulating through your rooms, indoor pollutants including chemicals from paint or rugs, mold, radon, and other airborne particles, have nowhere to escape.
Mold grows on water-damaged materials and can cause allergies. To prevent it:
Lead paint was used in homes built before 1978, after which it was banned. But many people merely covered the old paint with new. So, when sanding during renovation work or opening or closing windows, the dust may contain lead. Lead dust and paint chips can cause lead poisoning, which is especially dangerous for children. Lead poisoning has been linked to a host of issues, including autism-like symptoms and ADHD. If you have an older house, get it tested for lead before you close up your house this winter.
VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are toxic vapors that are off-gassed from man-made materials and everyday household items. When homes are closed and air-tight during the winter, VOCs tend to build up in the air, causing poor indoor air quality. This can cause headaches, dizziness, coughing, and other issues. Try to limit use of and exposure to cleaning and disinfecting chemicals, candles, new furniture, carpeting or flooring, non-VOC paint, air fresheners, and 
As you know, dust and debris collect in HVAC and heating units over time. When those materials absorb moisture, mold can form quickly.
If you find 
Interest in studying the impact of COVID-19 in different settings has led to higher scrutiny of the indoor air quality (IAQ) at homes during the lockdown. Researchers at Texas A&M recently 
However, the likelihood of poor IAQ in office buildings can be lower because offices have better heating and air conditioning systems, as well as air filtration systems. “Offices are also more likely to maintain their HVAC systems, servicing them every 6 – 12 months and changing filters regularly, whereas homeowners may go years without taking these steps,” Weitz says.
With estimates that 1 in 4 Americans are still working remotely, and that 22% of the workforce (36.2 million Americans) will continue to work remotely through 2025, indoor air quality is definitely something to monitor.
You also should consider bringing fresh air into your house by opening doors and windows. Even a small amount of fresh air can make a difference.
Both the EPA and the Surgeon General urge every homeowner to test their homes at least every two years for radon. Radon testing should be part of a thorough indoor air quality test. Paints, solvents, cleansers, disinfectants, air fresheners, pesticides, nicotine, glue, home furnishings and building materials — the list of chemicals in our homes goes on and on – poisons the air we breathe. Even low concentrations of these chemicals can irritate your eyes, nose and throat; cause headaches, loss of coordination and nausea; and can damage the liver, kidneys and the central nervous system.
Mold
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires owners of buildings constructed before 1981 to place warning labels, train staff, and notify employees or outside contractors who are working in areas that might contain asbestos.
A federal regulation now requires landlords of “target housing” (most housing built before 1978) to disclose any known lead paint hazards to prospective tenants. New York City landlords and residents also must follow Local Law 31 to avoid costly fines and penalties. Here’s the breakdown of Local Law 31:
No laws actually require landlords to identify radon or remove it from their property, despite radon’s association with lung cancer. Radon has been detected everywhere in the United States, so it is a hazard that should be on a landlord’s radar for testing.