Infants could be at risk of developing asthma if their home is frequently seeing the use of cleaning products. That according to a new study out of Simon Fraser University, gathering data from just over 2000 children in Canada, examining their daily, weekly and monthly exposure to a variety of household cleaners.

Dr. Tim Takaro, the lead researcher of the project, explains that health issues in 3 to 4 month old babies developed when comparing the highest users of cleaners to those who use less.

“37 percent more asthma at 3 years of age, 34 percent more wheeze and about 41 percent more allergy plus wheeze with a very high risk factor for asthma.” The study looked at infants that spend a good portion of their time indoors and included known factors of asthma like family history and early exposure to cigarette smoke.

Lead Author Jaclyn Parks says certain products did stand out as more of a risk to the children in the study. “Namely ones that are sprayed, highly fragrant products, some disinfectants, things like oven cleaner which can be quite corrosive or toxic. Those seem to be standing out, as things that are more important in this overall frequency of use.” Parks added that liquid or solid air fresheners , plug-in deodorizers, dusting sprays and anti-microbial hand sanitizers also seemed to cause higher risks of asthma or wheeze.

The study found that the first few months are critical to the development of a baby’s immune and respiratory systems. Dr. Takaro states that the good thing about the study is that it is easy for people to do something to prevent health risks. He says that by avoiding products with fragrances and by simply using soap and water, you can keep your house quite clean without adding the risk of chemicals. Alternatively, he recommends rinsing off counters after cleaner has been used, good ventilation and just keeping children out of the area being cleaned. Long term Dr. Takaro hopes to see more testing on cleaning products before they get to market.