That sweet-smelling wax melt warming in your home makes a shocking amount of invisible pollution in your indoor air. Researchers from Purdue University found these popular scented products create pollution levels similar to car exhaust. This study, led by scientists Nusrat Jung and Brandon Boor at Purdue’s special test house, measured what happens when you melt these scented wax products.
How Bad Is It?
The numbers are truly surprising. These melts release over one million tiny particles in each cubic centimeter of your home’s air. To understand what happens, researchers used special equipment to count these invisible particles.
- Wax melts produce 6.4 trillion particles every minute
- This is three times more than scented candles
- Unscented wax doesn’t create this problem
- Within 20 minutes, 10 trillion particles can enter your lungs
| Source | Pollution Level |
|---|---|
| Scented Wax Melts | Very High |
| Car Exhaust | Similar to Wax Melts |
| Gas Stoves | Similar to Wax Melts |
| Unscented Wax | Very Low |
These tiny particles don’t just stay in your lungs. They can move between cells in your body and even enter your bloodstream, with most settling in your upper airways.
The main problem happens when smelly chemicals called terpenes in the scented wax mix with normal indoor ozone. This creates the harmful nanoparticles. The researchers suggest:
- Consider these findings when designing buildings
- Think about your home’s ventilation system
- Be aware that “flameless” doesn’t mean “harmless”
Next time you want a nice smell in your home, think carefully about what you’re putting in your air. Opening windows regularly helps clear these particles. Remember that what makes your home smell good might not be good for your health.
