Are Candles and Wax Warmers Dangerous?

Did you know that some scented candles can emit as many cancer-causing toxins as diesel fumes and cigarettes?

Did you know that the majority of these products can cause respiratory issues, disrupt your hormones and can strip down your immune system?

I LOVE a good smelling home, especially around the holidays!

You can certainly still have those. But I want to talk about why it is so important to ditch the toxic candles, air fresheners, wax warmers, etc…

There is nothing better than having the warm spicy smells of fall or the cool, crisp minty scent or woodsy pine tree smells of Christmas. I used to have a candle or wax warmer going in every room of the house! ESPECIALLY around the holidays. Not even kidding a little. But after I started learning about toxic burden in my home and all of the side effects that could be caused from synthetic fragrance, the candles and wax warmers HAD to go. Let’s dig into the why.

I know I’ve said it before but when someone tells me to stop doing something or I should change up what I’m doing I want to know why. I want to know will it really benefit my family or myself. So you get to make the decision. I’m just here to provide the education!

After years of battling hormone issues myself, headaches, constant nose bleeds, allergies to where I could barely see from my eyes watering so much, I started looking into more things and as our natural swaps and lifestyle started to unfold over 10 years ago, dots started to connect as to how everything is connected.

There are many reasons people get sicker during the cooler holiday months, but I want to try to connect the dots for everyone to understand the why. 

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

How toxic is the air you’re breathing?

You can’t see the air but we all know it’s there. Sometimes you can smell it, sometimes you can’t. Indoor air pollution though can occur from a huge variety of chemicals and products. Most of the time our homes are closed up, windows closed, doors closed, making the air we are breathing circulate. If the air quality is poor it can aggravate and irritate the body and in some cases cause serious harm. 

Things like Candles, Air Fresheners, Room Sprays, Wall Plug-ins, etc… have been found to contain phthalates, formaldehyde, PEGs, fragrance, and other harmful toxic ingredients. Often these are not listed among the ingredients of the product because they can be considered what they call “trade secrets” which means you have no idea what you are putting into the air of your home.

For many, the health risks from exposure to indoor air pollution may be greater than those related to outdoor pollution. You have fresh air, trees to clean the air, and more space outdoors, making the air you are surrounded by less concentrated. Poor indoor air quality can be especially harmful to babies and children and elderly. Those with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular diseases can be at a higher risk also.

Pay attention to babies and children.

I can’t stress enough how much we need to pay attention to the littles. Babies and kids don’t have control over what they are breathing in. They rely on us for those things so it is up to us to protect their lungs as best as we can. Infants and children breathe at a much faster pace than adults which can lead to a higher risk of getting these toxins, pesticides, and chemicals into their lungs. 

This study has a lot of information on indoor pollution. This can all lead to more respiratory challenges like asthma, infections and allergies.

Let’s just talk candles for a minute…

Most candles are made from paraffin wax, which is a petroleum byproduct. When that is burned, paraffin wax releases toxic VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air you breathe. Some of these include acetone, benzene and toluene, which are all KNOWN carcinogens. These ingredients are all found in diesel fuel emissions and are known to cause allergies, asthma, skin problems, hormone disruptors, etc… Even candles that are made from soy wax can contain harmful ingredients from GMOS that the soy has been sprayed with.

If that wasn’t bad enough, there is more… In addition to releasing toxic chemicals into the air, burning paraffin wax produces soot with particles that can remain suspended in the air for hours. There are studies that show that ultrafine soot particles are similar to diesel exhaust both in their size and composition. This makes them able to penetrate deep into the lungs and are absorbed into the bloodstream. These are associated with allergies, asthma, respiratory diseases as well as heart attacks, strokes and even cancer.

Not all candles are bad but researching the ingredients to find what they are made up of is so important. 

That is just candles… now jumping over to plug-ins, room sprays, wax warmers and air fresheners.

One of the biggest concerns is phthalates. These are linked to chemicals that can cause birth defects, reproductive problems and hormonal abnormalities. Airborne phthalates can also lead to allergies, asthma and other respiratory issues.  

Formaldehyde is another ingredient to be very concerned with. It is a well-known human carcinogen, colorless, odorless and you don’t even know it is there which makes it that much more dangerous. Having been definitively linked to both throat and nose cancer, this makes it a very dangerous ingredient. It can also lead to nosebleeds, other respiratory problems, infections… etc… These risks are even greater for infants and the elderly and for those who already have immune issues. It has also been linked to newborns/infants that were more likely to suffer from wheezing and lung infections if the mom had used these while pregnant.

So what are our options?

Don’t worry, just because there are concerns and warnings about candles, warmers, etc… that doesn’t mean that we can’t have our home smelling amazing! A benefit is that some of these other options can support our bodies overall health, immune system, respiratory system, etc… 

There are simple options, like simmering a pot of water filled with fruits, like apple peels, cranberries, etc, and spices like cinnamon sticks, cloves etc… to bring an amazing smell into the home.

Diffusers with high quality essential oils has been our favorite substitute over the years that we continue to love. You get to customize your own blends for any time of the year! You also get the benefits of SUPPORTING your health and the health of your family and the ability to help clean your air and build up your immunity.

I can’t tell you how often we use the diffuser not just to make our home smell good but to also reap the benefits of the medicinal and aromatherapy side of essential oils.

Can I use any essential oils?

Short answer, no. 

Long answer yes, but it is your choice. I have a post dedicated to Why Does It Matter Which Essential Oils I Use.

Diving into it a bit more here though, essential oils are not a one size fits all. Did you know, not all oils are created equally? PURE essential oils are so important to diffuse. If you are trying to omit certain products from your home to reduce the toxic burden on the body, you want to be sure the oils are pure and do not have synthetics in them, have been chemically distilled or that the plant has been spayed with pesticides. 

ESPECIALLY if you are wanting to use these oils for the medicinal benefits as well. Trust me when I say you cannot go to your local department store or Amazon to find pure oils.

Is there an easy button to know which oils to diffuse for what?

I am working on having a blog post for all of the individual oils and what their benefits are. But as you can imagine, along with everything else it takes time.

Did you know that candles, wax warmers, air fresheners and wall plug ins can be dangerous? They can be a contributing factor to getting sick, especially over the holiday months when we want all of the good smells and when our homes are closed up from the colder weather?

Here are a few of my favorites I have completed.

Lavender Essential Oil Uses and Benefits
Peppermint Essential Oil Uses and Benefits
Thieves Essential Oil Uses and Benefits
Lemon Essential Oil Uses and Benefits
Valor Essential Oil – Uses and Benefits

Now for some of my favorite Easy Buttons!

Thieves – We diffuse this for ALL things Immune related. This can be diffused nightly just for preventative care but also more often when needed. This smells like fall! Made with essential oils like cinnamon and clove it has a warm cozy scent.

Raven – This is one of my go-tos for anything respiratory related. It has an amazing fresh eucalyptus smell that can help to open up the airways.

Purification – This is one of my favorites to use if anyone does come down with anything. It helps to clean the air. You can also add it to baking soda to sprinkle on carpet or make up a room spritz to spray on floors if you need a little extra cleaning power.

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Remember…

You are the gatekeeper to your home. It’s a blessing to have the ability to choose what is brought in and used around you and your family.

These are the oils our family has used for years (and that we know are safe for the uses mentioned above). There are also some amazing diffuser options too!

One of my favorite easy buttons is the kits, you don’t have to think about anything to get started. The kits have an array of options!

Remember, I am not a doctor, I am just a Mama who loves to share natural options that we use for ourselves and our kiddos that we have found works for us. I hope they can help you too! I’d love for you to follow along on Instagram @julie.naturallychaotic or Facebook at Naturally Chaotic for more of our day to day!

Thanks for stopping by, see you next time!

I hope you find these posts beneficial as well!

9 Things to Know About Essential Oils
Why Does It Matter Which Essential Oils I Use?
A Beginners Guide to Essential Oils : The Basics 101