Do you love a clean house? If so, you probably make an effort to clean it on a regular basis. And that means you frequently use cleaning products. While they make your house spic and span, they could be bad for your lung health. In fact, according to recent research, frequent use of cleaning products is about as bad as smoking.

In a study published recently in the Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, researchers followed over 6,000 people across a 20 year time period. Scientists questioned participants on how frequently they cleaned.

Along with these interviews, scientists also measured how much air each participant could blow out forcibly.

Researchers found that the women who cleaned the most were unable to blow out as much air.

But why is that?

According to Professor Cecile Svanes, a senior author of this study, “Such chemicals, by steadily causing a little damage to the airways day after day, year after year, might accelerate the rate of lung function decline that occurs with age.”

This long-term damage may occur when cleaning product chemicals irritate delicate mucous membranes that line the lungs.

In conclusion, another study author said that, “In the long run cleaning chemicals very likely cause rather substantial damage to your lungs.”

So, while it might be a good idea to cut back on how frequently you use cleaning products, it’s also comforting to know that a lot of these chemicals aren’t even necessary. In fact, researchers suggest using microfiber cloths and water as a perfectly effective substitute.