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SOURCES:

Nancy Simcox, assistant teaching professor and director of continuing education programs, environmental and occupational health sciences, University of Washington, Seattle.

Khanya Brann, spokesperson, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. 

EPA: “Improving Your Indoor Environment,” “Learn About the Safer Choice Label,” “Safer Choice Criteria for Fragrance-Free Products,” “Indoor Air Quality In Your Home.”

American Lung Association: “Volatile Organic Compounds.”

Michael Sevilla, MD, family physician, Salem, Ohio. 

New York State: “Benefits of Green Cleaning Products and Programs.”

Western States Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit Green Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting: A Toolkit for Early Care and Education, Second Edition.

Children’s Environmental Health Network: “FAQs: Fragrances.”

University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture: “Clean and Green Homemade Cleaners.”

Connecticut Department of Public Health: “Fact Sheet: Air Fresheners.”

ASPCA.org: “The Essentials of Essential Oils Around Pets.”

American Cleaning Institute: “The Chemistry of Cleaning.”

Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research: “Study on Characteristics and Harm of Surfactants.”

Consumer Reports: “How to find an eco-friendly laundry detergent,” “VOCs and other toxic chemicals in mattresses: What to know,” “Organic mattress labels you can trust.”

CDC: “You Can Control Mold.”

Cleaning Industry Research Institute: “Study Reveals High Bacteria Levels on Footwear.”

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: “Dust Allergies.”

Cleveland Clinic: “Get the Dirt: How Safe Are Cleaning Products?” “Hormones.” 

Molecules and Cells: “Non-Ionic Surfactants Antagonize Toxicity of Potential Phenolic Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals, Including Triclosan in Caenorhabditis elegans.”