SAEDNEWS: Men have greater physical strength than women when it comes to cleaning the house, and they are more capable of handling hardships, especially physical tasks. However, there is another important reason why we should assign house cleaning to men. Learn about this important reason in this section.
According to SAEDNEWS, A study shows that the risk of cleaning the house with cleaning products for women’s lungs is equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes a day, while it has no effect on men’s lungs. Researchers at the University of Bergen in Norway examined the lungs of 6,235 men and women across 22 centers and followed them up again after 22 years.
The researchers asked participants whether they cleaned their homes themselves or worked as professional cleaners. They also inquired about how often they used liquid cleaning products and sprays.
The study found that women who cleaned their homes at least once a week or worked professionally as cleaners experienced a significant decline in their lung capacity.
According to the results, the reduction in lung function in both groups of women was comparable to the loss of lung capacity caused by smoking 20 cigarettes a day for 10 to 20 years. The authors of the study warn that the use of cleaning products poses a risk to women’s respiratory health. However, these products had no effect on the lungs of men who either cleaned their own homes or worked as professional cleaners.
Researchers stated that the use of household cleaning products can cause low-grade inflammation in the lungs, and over time this inflammation may lead to permanent damage in the airways.
They further added that it is well established that exposure to airway irritants such as ammonia and bleach—both found in household cleaning products like bleach solutions and toilet cleaners—can lead to fibrotic changes in lung tissue, which in turn may result in lung scarring. According to the researchers, products used for household cleaning not only irritate the lungs but may also cause long-term, irreversible changes in lung structure.
The researchers explained that the reduction in lung capacity occurs because chemicals in cleaning products damage the mucous membranes of the airways, which over time leads to permanent alterations in the respiratory passages. However, the study found that the lungs of men who regularly used cleaning products were not affected. They suggested that this may be because men’s lungs are less affected by these chemicals.
Previous research has also shown that men’s lungs are more resistant to damage from various irritants such as cigarette smoke and wood dust.
He added: the main message of this study is that long-term use of household chemical cleaning products is likely to cause serious damage to the lungs. Emphasizing that the use of these chemical products is usually unnecessary, the researchers stated that, except for the need to use bleach in toilets, microfiber cloths and water are sufficient for most household cleaning purposes.
