Published on February 20, 2025 · Updated in November 2026 ·
Many cleaning products release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air you breathe at work. This guide explains which VOCs are found in cleaning products and detergents, what "VOC-compliant" actually means, and how to choose cleaners that release less.
Key takeaways
- VOCs in cleaning products come mainly from solvents, fragrances and aerosol propellants.
- Indoor VOC levels are consistently higher than outdoor levels, and they rise during and after cleaning.
- "VOC-compliant" means a product stays under the legal VOC limit for its category. It does not mean VOC-free.
- Water-based, fragrance-free, non-aerosol products used at the right dilution release the least.
What are VOCs?
Volatile organic compounds are carbon-based chemicals that evaporate easily at room temperature. They are emitted as gases from liquids and solids, including paints, adhesives, fuels and many cleaning, disinfecting and degreasing products. Some VOCs have short-term effects such as eye and airway irritation; others are linked to longer-term health effects.
Which VOCs are found in cleaning products and detergents?
The main VOCs in cleaning products and detergents are solvents, fragrance compounds and aerosol propellants. Manufacturers add them to dissolve grease, dry surfaces quickly, add scent or spray the product.
Common examples:
- Alcohols such as ethanol and isopropanol, used as solvents and drying agents
- Glycol ethers such as 2-butoxyethanol, used in degreasers and glass cleaners
- Terpenes such as limonene, used in citrus and pine fragrances
- Propellants such as propane and butane, used in aerosol cans
Laundry products are a specific case. A University of Washington study sampled dryer-vent air during washing and drying with a fragranced detergent and dryer sheet. It found more than 25 VOCs, with the highest concentrations of acetaldehyde, acetone and ethanol. Seven of them are classified by the US EPA as hazardous air pollutants. Most fragrance ingredients do not have to be listed on the label, so the VOCs a product releases are rarely visible to the buyer.
Do cleaning products contribute to indoor VOCs?
Yes. Cleaning products are a direct source of indoor VOCs, both while they are used and while they are stored. The US EPA reports that concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors than outdoors, up to ten times higher, and that levels can stay high long after the activity ends.
A 2023 study published in Chemosphere tested 30 common cleaning products in air chambers. It detected 530 different VOCs, 193 of them classified as potentially hazardous. Products labelled fragrance-free emitted the fewest VOCs, about eight times fewer than conventional products. This matters most in schools, hospitals, care homes and offices, where people spend long hours indoors and cleaning happens every day.
What does "VOC-compliant" mean?
A "VOC-compliant" cleaner is one whose VOC content stays within the legal limit for its product category, in the market where it is sold. Limits are set per category and expressed as a percentage of the product's weight, so a compliant glass cleaner and a compliant floor cleaner can contain very different amounts of VOCs.
Market | Rule | Example limits (non-aerosol) |
|---|---|---|
Canada | VOC Concentration Limits for Certain Products Regulations (SOR/2021-268); limits apply since January 1, 2024 (disinfectants since January 1, 2025) | General-purpose hard-surface cleaner 0.5%; glass cleaner 3%; disinfectant 1% |
United States | Consumer-product VOC rules, led by California (CARB) and adopted by many other states | General-purpose cleaner 0.5% in California |
European Union | No EU-wide legal VOC limit for cleaning products (the EU VOC directive covers paints, varnishes and vehicle refinishing products) | EU Ecolabel caps VOCs: all-purpose cleaner 30 g/L ready-to-use |
Three points matter when you read "VOC-compliant" on a label:
- Compliant is not VOC-free. A compliant product can still contain VOCs up to the limit for its category.
- The rules target outdoor air. These limits were set mainly to reduce smog and ground-level ozone, not to protect the people breathing indoor air during cleaning.
- Some ingredients are exempt. California, for example, allows small amounts of fragrance outside the VOC count, including up to 0.25% monoterpenes in non-aerosol general-purpose cleaners.
How to choose low-VOC cleaning products
The most effective way to reduce VOCs from cleaning is to control the source: choose products that release less, and use less of them.
- Ask for the VOC content. The safety data sheet or technical data sheet should state it as a percentage or in grams per litre.
- Choose water-based concentrates and dilute them exactly as instructed. Overdosing adds VOCs without cleaning better.
- Avoid aerosols where a trigger spray or a mop and bucket will do the job. Canadian limits for aerosols are many times higher than for the same product in liquid form.
- Prefer low-fragrance products, especially in healthcare, schools and other sensitive environments.
- Look for certifications that cap VOCs, such as EU Ecolabel or UL Ecologo, and check that the exact product you buy carries the certificate.
- Ventilate during and after cleaning, and close containers after use.
How biotechnology reduces the need for solvents
Biotechnology cleans with enzymes and beneficial microorganisms instead of relying on solvents. Enzymes break down specific soils: proteases target proteins, lipases target fats and oils, and amylases target starches. Beneficial microorganisms continue to digest organic residue after application, which helps with grease, organic build-up and the odours they cause.
Because enzymes and microorganisms work in water, biotech cleaners do not need high levels of solvents to remove grease. InnuScience has been developing biotech cleaning formulations since [YEAR TO CONFIRM], and many of its products hold UL Ecologo or EU Ecolabel certification. Contact InnuScience for the VOC content of each product you use.
Frequently asked questions
What are the VOCs in detergents? The VOCs in detergents come mostly from fragrances and solvents. Studies of fragranced laundry products have measured acetaldehyde, acetone, ethanol and limonene, among others. Fragrance-free detergents generally release fewer VOCs.
Is a VOC-compliant cleaner VOC-free? No. A VOC-compliant cleaner meets the legal VOC limit for its category in a given market. It can still contain VOCs below that limit. Check the VOC content on the safety or technical data sheet.
Are VOCs in cleaning products harmful? It depends on the compound, the concentration and the exposure time. Some VOCs cause eye, nose and throat irritation or headaches; a few, such as benzene and formaldehyde, are classified as carcinogens. Reducing the source and ventilating well lower exposure.
Which cleaning products release the most VOCs? Aerosols, air fresheners, solvent-based degreasers and graffiti removers generally contain the most VOCs. In Canada, legal limits for these categories range from 10% to 60% of product weight, compared with 0.5% for a general-purpose cleaner.
Do ecolabelled cleaning products contain VOCs? They can, but in limited amounts. EU Ecolabel sets maximum VOC levels by product type, for example 30 g/L for a ready-to-use all-purpose cleaner. The 2023 Chemosphere study found that products labelled as environmentally preferable emitted fewer VOCs on average, and fragrance-free ones the fewest.
Choose cleaners that release less
Tell our team which areas you clean and get a product recommendation and VOC data for your facility. Contact InnuScience
Related reading: EU Ecolabel: What It Is and Why It Matters for Sustainable Cleaning