This is a sponsored post in partnership with Febreze.
Last month, I attended the Febreze Safety Immersion. I came home and wrote about it. Many of you use Febreze and, like me, were happy to hear that they take product safety seriously.
But when I shared what I had learned on Facebook, a lot of questions and concerns were raised. Because there were so many of them, I thought I’d respond to the most common ones here rather than trying to keep up with the frantic pace of Facebook comments.
You’re being paid by Febreze, aren’t you? Why should we believe anything you say? This is a paid partnership with Febreze. I have disclosed that in the posts I have written on the blog and anywhere on social. It’s a very common practice for brands to work with social media influencers in order to spread awareness. However, the reason this partnership interested me in the first place was because I’ve used Febreze for a long time and wanted to learn more about any safety concerns. After what I’ve learned, I feel confident about still using it in my home. If I didn’t, I would stop and I would explain to you why I stopped. Yes, even with a paid partnership. I’m not being told what to say and they understood from the start that I’ve give my honest opinion of what I learned from my trip to P&G. But they were very open and honest during my visit, even allowing the group of us into their labs to see firsthand how it all worked. Those of us in attendance were given opportunities to ask questions and communicate concerns: they really wanted to hear our thoughts and feedback, whether it was positive or negative.
The ingredients in Febreze are toxic. No one should use it. Hmmm, where are you getting your information from? You can see the full list of ingredients in Febreze disclosed on their site. They list each ingredient, any other name it may have, and its purpose. These ingredients can also be found on the Smart Label site and app.
Some of these names may be unfamiliar but don’t equate the unfamiliar with dangerous. There are long, unfamiliar-sounding ingredients even in the most natural of products. If you are concerned about the preservatives, our fruits and vegetables also have natural preservatives. Also, mold growing in products without preservatives would be way more dangerous to your health!
When you’re reading a product’s label, it’s not just what the ingredients are but also about the amount that is in the product. Everything has a safe range. Take water. Not enough water can lead to drought or dehydration. Too much can lead to flooding or water intoxication. But the right amount of water keeps things functioning as they should and flourishing.
But, since Febreze does disclose their list of ingredients both on their site and using SmartLabel.org, you can research each on your own to determine what you feel comfortable with. Research on a reputable site (there’s a ton of misinformation out there!): which is why, despite the fact that I was a science teacher a long time ago, I’ll leave those explanations to the experts.
The scent of Febreze is too strong for me. Everyone has a different preference for scent. Maybe you just need to try a different one to find one that you like. You can also try Febreze ONE, which has no aerosols, dyes or heavy perfumes. Not only are the single note scent options much lighter, but they are also natured-inspired. Also there is Febreze FABRIC Free, which is unscented. Both options still have the Febreze OdorClear technology, which eliminates odors.
My floors are sticky after I use Febreze. When you spray Febreze into the air and it traps odors, the molecules are then heavy and fall to the floor. What was recommended during my visit was to do all of your other cleaning, and then use Febreze, and leave cleaning your floors for last. I haven’t really noticed it enough to call it “sticky” and stickiness is not a common issue with Febreze. You can also try spraying a smaller amount and letting it evaporate before spraying more.
If you would clean your house (or clean it better), you wouldn’t need Febreze. Obviously if there are piles of smelly things laying around your house, you need to take care of those. But there are unpleasant odors that occur even in a clean home. There’s a funk that comes from three boys who all just ran a 10k out in the heat. They go shower and their clothes go in the laundry, but a smell still lingers in the air. We clean the litter box daily, but there can be a “cat smell” left. I love caramelized onions, but I’m not a fan of the smell after we’re done eating, even when the counters have been cleaned and the dishes washed. Those smells go into your fabrics whether it be carpets, pillows, blankets and each time you sit on the couch or on a hot, humid day those stinks rebloom and come out again (even if you thought they were gone.) So even if you clean your home, it isn’t fully clean unless it’s clean of odors. And if you aren’t cleaning your air as you would other messes, you’re breathing it all in- millions of stinky molecules. But again, everyone has a different smell-tolerance. And even if those odors don’t bother you or maybe you have gotten used to them and have gone noseblind to them, your guests may not feel the same way!
I only use all-natural products. Vinegar, oils, etc. This is a respectable lifestyle choice. I even have an all-natural floor cleaner, kitchen cleaner, and yoga mat cleaner posted on this site. I do use some natural products, but I haven’t found them to be as effective with eliminating odors in my home. If you have, that’s awesome, keep using them. For those of us who need a little more help, it’s good to know that Febreze is concerned about product safety.
Febreze just covers up odors, it doesn’t get rid of them. This one is a total myth, Febreze OdorClear technology actually does eliminate odors and doesn’t just cover them. So, for example, if you’re using Febreze ONE in Mandarin to eliminate the smell of bacon from your home after cooking, you shouldn’t smell orange-scented bacon, but just Mandarin. Here’s a video you can watch to show how the odor trapping works. Then, if you want to see more, you can head over to see more about how Febreze works with their videos on odor converters, odor neutralizers, and odor magnets.
I use Febreze for bug spray/other unconventional uses.We all know that people often end up using products in other ways, aside from their intended use. But the intended use is not for Febreze to be applied topically to you or your pets.
My bird/plants died after I used Febreze.
Regarding the question about birds, Febreze actually advises against using its scented products around birds. Birds have sensitivities to scented products and aerosols, so you should be careful using it around them.
Regarding plants there’s a difference between thinking there’s a link between these events and Febreze, and knowing there’s a link. During the immersion we actually put flowers in Febreze FABRIC instead of water overnight and they looked just as healthy the next day! Check out a photo almost 24 hours later below.
If you prefer all-natural products for these reasons, again: you use what you feel comfortable with. Me? My plants would die because I have a black thumb instead of a green one and it would have nothing to do with Febreze.
It gave someone I know cancer. There is no scientific link between the use of Febreze and the development of cancer. Every ingredient is reviewed both internally and externally to ensure it is safe for use before it is even considered for use in Febreze. Every single ingredient is tested for its safe range. If an ingredient doesn’t meet the rigorous safety standards of reproduction or cancer, the ingredient immediately gets tossed out and not considered.
I don’t believe that Febreze can’t get in my lungs. This was one of the really cool things we learned at P&G. That, due to the size of the particles in Febreze, they are too large and cannot reach your lungs. Here’s the science behind it:
I have COPD/asthma/another medical condition so I can’t use Febreze. Please consult a medical professional if you have any pre-existing conditions. Some COPD patients have shared that they have had success using lower-fragranced products like Febreze ONE, while others cannot handle fragrances in any amount. There is also a Febreze Refresher Free without any perfume. Again: please consult your doctor.
Of course Febreze is going to say it’s safe. They want to sell more products. While of course Febreze wants to be in as many homes as possible, they aren’t just saying Febreze is safe to use around your home. The folks I met at Febreze even shared that they make sure to only put out products that they feel confident using in their own homes. They’re backing this up by disclosing ingredients and putting a lot of research behind their products. Everyone has to make their own decision as to what products they’ll use in their home. I feel confident using Febreze in mine.
