Recent research suggests that exposure to cleaning products or air fresheners that contain a compound called 1,4 dicholorobenzene can reduce lung function by 4 percent. Another study found that the use of spray household cleaners could increase the risk of developing asthma by nearly 50 percent.

Most people with asthma instinctively avoid these types of products, the study on 1,4 dicholorobenzene suggests that other people should probably avoid them, too.

1,4 DCB is the chemical that gives mothballs their distinctive odor. It’s also found in room deodorizers, insecticides and in urinal blocks.