Maintaining clean indoor air is important to the health of your home. But when mysterious chemical odors find their way inside, seemingly harmless or not, they often signal there’s an underlying issue.

Could it be an electrical problem? Rotten food? Toxic cleaning products?

At Branch Basics, we’re committed to helping you create a safer, healthier home by reducing exposure to harsh chemicals and the harmful fumes they release, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

In this article, we’ll share the most common chemical odors found in homes and how to identify and eliminate them for cleaner, safer indoor air.

Common Chemical Smells 

Chemical odors in your home can originate from various sources. Some are harmless, while others may be hazardous to your health.

In this section, we’ll break down some of the common culprits, like toxic cleaning products, sewer gas, electrical and HVAC issues, and even rotting or moldy foods.

Toxic Cleaning Products 

Toxic cleaning products often have a strong odor due to the presence of ingredients such as fragrances, ammonia, bleach, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Even bottled up, these strong chemicals leach out toxic fumes, negatively impacting your home’s air quality.

The following chemical-ridden products are extremely harmful to human health, including but certainly not limited to:

• Fragrances: Even though they smell good, it doesn’t mean they are safe. Fragrances found in conventional cleaning products are considered one of the world’s top allergens. The single-word fragrance on an ingredient list is actually a fragrance recipe containing a concoction of up to hundreds of proprietary chemicals. 

Fragrance recipes contain chemicals that are asthmagens (cause asthma), neurotoxins (can cause brain fog, depression, insommnia, etc), obesogens (cause metabolic syndrome and make it hard to lose weight regardless of diet and exercise), carcinogens (cause cancer), and  endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that disrupt natural hormone balance in all sexes. 

Fragrance chemicals are so potent that they permeate porous materials like drywall, curtains, and upholstered furniture, dramatically impacting your home’s air quality.

You can learn more in The Effects of Fragrance on Human Health.

• Bleach: Its heavy chlorine-like scent is highly poisonous if inhaled, not to mention if it’s swallowed or comes into contact with your skin. 

A study published in the British Medical Journal showed that even passive exposure to bleach can increase the risk of respiratory illness or other health issues in children [1]. Plus, bleach can become a deadly gas when mixed with other chemicals such as ammonia, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide.

• Laundry Products: Such as detergents, stain removers, boosters, and dryer sheets contain a cocktail of harmful chemicals that can affect everyone in the household. Not to mention, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that chemicals in dryer sheets and fabric softeners are considered to be among the most toxic in the laundry room [2][3].

• Ammonia: Found in conventional window cleaners, ammonia is classified as a “high hazard” by OSHA and, when inhaled, causes respiratory problems [4].

By no means is this an exhaustive list. Learn more about the many toxic ingredients found in conventional cleaning products, how to avoid them, and what to use instead in 7 Toxic Cleaning Products To Avoid & Safe Swaps. 

HVAC

When an HVAC system overheats, internal components, like relays, can melt. This produces a strong burning plastic smell that will rise from the vents.

On the other hand, if you notice a sweet, syrupy odor, your HVAC system may be leaking coolant. Ethylene glycol, the main ingredient in many coolant products, is highly toxic when inhaled or ingested. 

Rotting Or Moldy Food

Rotting or moldy foods release pungent chemical odors as microbes such as bacteria, mold, and yeast begin to grow. 

The type of smell will depend on the type of food:

• Meat: Spoiled meat may give off a strong putrid or ammonia-like smell.
  
• Dairy: Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese commonly have a sour odor. 
  
• Fruits and vegetables: Odors will vary. Rotten potatoes, for example, may smell musty or moldy, while bananas often give off a fermented, alcohol-like scent.

Sewer Gas

If you notice sewer gas coming from the bathroom, basement, or around drains, it could be related to an issue with your sewer line, P-trap, or plumbing vents.

Inhaling sewer gas can be harmful to humans as it contains a mix of toxic and flammable gases, including hydrogen sulfide, methane, ammonia and carbon dioxide.

Electrical Issues

Do you notice a fishy or burning rubber smell near light switches, outlets, or large appliances? It could be a sign of an electrical wiring issue.

This chemical odor in the house typically comes from overheating wires or components, which can melt the plastic or rubber insulation. If left unaddressed, it could put you at risk for a house fire.

Freon Leaks

Freon, not to be confused with coolant, is a refrigerant chemical mostly used in older air conditioning systems. When it leaks, freon gives off a sweet odor, similar to that of acetone, or nail polish remover. 

Inhaling freon can be very dangerous, as it can cause severe lung damage, brain damage, and sudden death [5].

How to Prevent Chemical Smells

Now that you know all about common chemical odors in the house, let’s take a look at how to prevent and get rid of them.

Find the Source and Fix It

The first step is to find the source of the chemical smell. Track down where the smell is coming from by walking through the house and taking note of where the smells get stronger or weaker.

Check your HVAC system, air conditioners, kitchen cabinets, refrigerator, cleaning closets, laundry room, basement, and around bathroom pipes.

Once you’ve identified the source of the chemical smell, make a plan to fix it. For dangerous odors, like freon leaks and sewer gas, it’s best to call an expert. 

For common, unpleasant house smells, like rotten food or toxic cleaning products, check out How To Get Rid Of House Smells Naturally, 6 Simple Methods.

Ensure Proper Ventilation

Sometimes, chemical odors in the house can be improved or eliminated by ensuring proper ventilation and air circulation.

The best way to do this is to open windows and turn on fans to circulate fresh air throughout the house.

You can also run an air purifier near the source of the odor to expedite the removal of the smell.

Use Odor Absorbers

Baking soda, activated charcoal, and white vinegar are fantastic, non-toxic odor absorbers. 

Choose from one of these ingredients, and place it in bowls around the area where the chemical smell is strongest.

Once you’ve neutralized the odor, check out these 7 Non-Toxic Air Fresheners & How To Remove Odors Naturally for more tips.

Toss the Toxins With Branch Basics

Whether you’re dealing with toxic cleaning products, rotten food, electrical or HVAC issues, sewer gases, or freon leaks, chemical odors in the house are not only unpleasant, but they can pose serious health risks. 

The good news is that most can be identified and resolved quickly with the use of proper ventilation and natural odor absorbers to improve the air quality in your home.

If the source of the smell is coming from conventional cleaning products laden with fragrances and harmful chemicals, we recommend you Toss the Toxins and swap them for safer alternatives, like Branch Basics.

Our all-in-one human-safe, biodegradable, and refillable cleaning system works hard on dirt, grease, grime, and dust without the need for harmful chemicals.

To get started, check out our Premium Starter Kits (available in reusable glass or plastic), which come with everything you need to clean and do the laundry in your home with just one Concentrate.

Each kit includes a full bottle of Concentrate, five refillable bottles to make All Purpose, Bathroom, Streak Free, Laundry, and Foaming Wash, and a full bag of our popular Oxygen Boost.

For more tips on getting smells out of your house naturally, check out:

• How to Get Rid of Musty Smells in Your House Naturally
  
• How To Remove Perfume Smell & Heavy Fragrance From Clothing
  
• How To Get Rid Of House Smells Naturally | 6 Simple Methods

Sources:

1. https://oem.bmj.com/content/72/8/602%20
   
2. https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2022/08/skip-most-toxic-fabric-softeners
   
3. https://draxe.com/health/dryer-sheets/
   
4. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Ammonium-hydroxide#section=Hazards-Summary 
   
5. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/poison/refrigerant-poisoning#:~:text=How%20well%20a%20person%20does,brain%20damage%20and%20sudden%20death