Demystifying Exposure: The Science Behind Using Spot Remover Sprays Explained!

Let’s talk about a spray spot remover exposure analysis published by the National Institute of Health. Specifically, we want to think about what the study suggests about inhalation and dermal (skin) exposure to a spray spot-removing product and what that implies about our personal and environmental safety.

The Data and Assumptions: 

When you use a spray spot remover on a stained piece of fabric, there are two main steps: first, you spray the remover on the stain, and then you rub or soak the fabric between your hands. The scientists were interested in understanding how much direct exposure you might have to the spray during these steps. 

This study used past data and defaults, like a default spray duration of 0.05 min and an exposure duration default of 10 minutes. They acknowledge assumptions, like assuming 50% of the product is absorbed by the fabric and 50% is caught between the fabric and your hand when you rub it.

It is assumed that 50% of the product is absorbed by the treated fabric. The remaining 50% is caught between the surface of the fabric and the surface of the rubbing hand. The next assumption is that the product is equally distributed over the two surfaces. Hence, it is deduced that there is dermal exposure to 25% of the product.
-Meesters JAJ, Nijkamp MM, Schuur AG, et al.

Spraying and Rubbing:

What did they deduce about exposure while applying the spray to fabric and manually working it into the stain?

Inhalation Exposure: The researchers consider you might breathe in some of the spray when you’re spraying it, but overall it is a negligible amount because stain spray is typically applied very close to the surface. If you spray it to the surface farther away than 3-4 inches, you may have a higher chance of inhalation exposure.

Dermal Exposure: The researchers determined that, when manually applying stain remover to a stained fabric, most of your exposure comes through direct skin contact.

They also determined there may be a possibility of exposure to the substance after washing, as some of the product may stay present on the surface of fabrics even after washing.

Models and Defaults:

They used different models and defaults (predetermined rules) to estimate how much of the spray you might breathe in and how much might touch your skin. 

The researchers have specific models for non-volatile substances (things that don’t easily turn into gas) and volatile substances (things that do easily turn into gas). 

Defaults include things like exposure duration, room volume, ventilation, and inhalation rate.

In this study, they determined that the stain spray likely wasn’t very volatile (after all, it needs to stay wet and stay in the fabric to work, if it evaporates quickly, it’s not very effective).

Specifics:

They used models like ConsExpo inhalation (exposure to spray) spraying model and dermal (direct product contact) instant application loading model for estimation.

For example, the spray duration is estimated based on defaults, and they use a Q-factor to show how confident they are in these defaults (on a scale of 1 to 4). A higher Q-factor means more confidence. 

So, in essence, they’re trying to figure out how much of the spray you might be exposed to, considering both breathing it in and it touching your skin, using various models and defaults. It’s a mix of data, models, and educated guesses to estimate your exposure to the spot remover spray. 

What Were the Conclusions?

Overall, it was concluded that perhaps about 25% of the product will come in contact with your hands when you manually rub a stain removal product into a stain for 10 minutes and then wash it off. You might also have exposure while spraying the product (though not much) and after washing, as it sits on your clothes and thereby on your skin for prolonged periods of time.

What Does This Mean?

While it’s not known from this study how much of the product may penetrate (go into the deeper layers of the skin) or absorb (go into the bloodstream), we do know that the skin is susceptible to penetration and absorption of some substances. There are simply too many variables to factor in to make a comprehensive and easy-to-understand study.

Penetration and absorption of chemicals depend on a few things:

• the size of the chemical’s molecules
• if there are accompanying chemicals (like ethanol alcohol) that increase the rate of absorption
• if the skin is dry, wet, or damaged (has a cut or other compromising quality)
• an individual’s personal biology

The bottom line is that the question for all of us when choosing a product to use is: Is this product safe? When you consider that applying it by hand means you are directly exposing your skin to it, it’s important to choose products that have a low chance of causing damage to ourselves or the environment. Even if you were to wear gloves or apply the product with a brush, you are still exposed to any airborne volatile compounds and residues after washing. The product contaminates the wastewater (even if it, hopefully, gets removed later at a treatment plant) and the chemicals in your wash-away products need to go somewhere.

Some chemicals get broken down naturally or with treatment after going down the drain, but not all of them (dimethicone, PFAS, and certain detergents, for example). So, it’s imperative to be mindful of the things we use in our everyday lives whenever possible.

Learn about removing harsh scents out of thrift store clothes.

How to Make a Safer Choice

Choosing a spot remover with all-natural ingredients is not just a choice for cleaner clothes; it’s a gentle decision for your well-being.

Embracing an all-natural solution like Tangie stain remover bar ensures a spotless outcome without compromising your personal wellness, making every stain removal a step toward a healthier, more conscious lifestyle. The non-toxic ingredients in the bar ensure that while you work the product into the fabric, you are not exposing yourself to harmful substances.

Even though Tangie stain remover bar is made from natural ingredients, that does not mean the bar may not cause irritation, especially in sensitive individuals. Even natural substances can be irritating or harmful if used improperly or if you have a sensitivity or allergy. Simply be sure to wash all the product off your hands after application, do not get any in your eyes, and do not ingest the bar. Also, if you are allergic to coconuts or tree nuts, you should avoid this product.

Be thoughtful of the laundry detergent you choose a natural laundry soap too! After all, you will wear that laundry soap all day; the ingredients that remain on your clothes after washing and can absorbed into your skin.

Tangie stain remover stick full ingredients list: Coconut Oil, Water, saponified Sodium Hydroxide, Lemon Juice, Borax.  There is no synthetic fragrance, dye, or colorants in our stain remover.

The following ingredients are typically found in household stain removers. We choose NOT to use them and here is why…

1. ACRYLIC ACID. This acid is very toxic to aquatic life. To us at Tangie, if it is harmful to aquatic life then it is an ingredient we do not need running off into our waterways and oceans. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG.org), this ingredient is found in brand-name stain removers like Lysol Disinfectant Spray for Baby’s Room, which received an F rating. ☹ Sometimes it takes more than reading labels to find out what ingredients can be harmful to us. [That’s why you have Tangie] 😊
2. SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES. These are exempt from labeling requirements and regarded as “trade secrets”. There is no way to determine what the individual ingredients are and they may include phthalates. These have been linked with aggravation of asthma, headaches, allergic reactions, and possible long-term central nervous system disorders.
3. CHLORINE BLEACH. Long-term exposure to low levels of chlorine gas could cause permanent lung diseases such as bronchitis and shortness of breath.
4. AMMONIA. It is corrosive. The severity of health effects depends on the route of exposure, the dose, and the duration of exposure. Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia in the air causes immediate burning of the eyes, nose, throat, and respiratory tract and can result in blindness, lung damage, or even death.
5. 1,4-DIOXANE. Any discussion of SLS/SLES must include a discussion of 1,4 dioxane because the manufacturing process of SLS/SLES results in its being contaminated with 1,4 dioxane—a known carcinogen. (NOT to be confused with Dioxin)
6. PROPYLENE GLYCOL. Primarily used as a solvent and an aid to absorption through the skin. The main concerns are that this material may be a primary skin irritant and there are possible links to liver abnormalities and kidney damage.
7. PHOSPHATES. Phosphorus is like a fertilizer in our water system. It increases algae and aquatic weed growth, and the oxygen needed for healthy fish and aquatic life is depleted.

PS – We cannot discuss ingredients and not bring up sodium borate.

Sodium borate goes by many names on ingredient labels including borax. We use borax in this stain remover bar.

At Tangie, we believe and trust in the value of the safety database assembled by the Environmental Working Group. So, we understand borax gets a terrible rating on their website. However, it’s important to note that the ingredient is safe when used correctly.

Borax originates in a powder form. When inhaled, the powder can irritate the eyes and lungs. It can also be harmful via long-term skin exposure. Personal care companies have been known to add it to their products, which can be harmful with long-term exposure to direct skin contact.

If you are concerned about the borax in this stain remover bar, you can wear gloves or use the paper wrapper on the stain remover bar as the barrier between the bar and your skin. However, if you use the product as recommended and wash it off completely after applying it to your stains, you should not experience any trouble unless you also have skin sensitivities to borax or the other ingredients in the bar.

Learn more about borax’s use as a stain and scent remover in this article.

PPS – We want you to be completely confident in the ingredients you will encounter using Tangie products. So, we choose to be totally transparent about the ingredients we use.

Thank you for reading. We hope you found this content valuable.

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK561652/