Asthma and Cleaning: What’s New?

Professional and domestic cleanings are associated with work-related asthma (WRA). Increased risk of asthma has been shown in many epidemiological and surveillance studies, and several case reports describe the relationship between exposure to one or more cleaning agents and WRA. Moreover, exposure to cleaning chemicals could be associated with severe uncontrolled asthma. Cleaning sprays, bleach, ammonia, disinfectants, mixing products, and specific job tasks have been identified as specific causes and/or triggers of asthma or airway respiratory diseases. Their measurements at the workplace could be interesting but hardly feasible. It is still under controversy whether cleaning products are airway irritants or sensitizers. The social consequence of unemployment in this population is one of the most important limitations to the management of occupational in cleaning professionals. The prognosis of the disease depends of removal from exposure, with avoidance of high-risk cleaning products, even at home.