Why Professional Cleaning Products Beat Shop-Bought Chemicals Every Time

When I first started out as a solo cleaner, I used the same products everyone else picked up from the supermarket shelves. Viakal, Dettol sprays, Zoflora, spray polishes – they were marketed as the obvious route to a sparkling home. But it didn’t take long for me to notice the impact they were having on me as a professional.

Shop bought products - are they as harmless as you think?

Viakal was the first product that really made me stop and think. I’d spray it in bathrooms – doors and windows wide open, well ventilated – and almost instantly my chest would tighten, and I’d start coughing. The same happened over time with Dettol’s kitchen spray, which at first smelled beautifully fresh but eventually left me with a heavy chest and tight breathing. Even spray polishes – another supermarket staple – were leaving behind a haze of chemicals that I could feel in my lungs.

Now, imagine the difference between a householder using one of these products once a week, versus a professional cleaner like me using them six or seven times a day across multiple properties. That’s not a small difference – it’s years of accumulated, daily exposure.

The Evidence: Cleaning Chemicals and Lung Health

I later learned what my body was telling me: research confirms that long-term exposure to shop-bought sprays and strong chemicals damages lung health. Studies show:

• Frequent use of cleaning sprays is linked to lung function decline comparable to smoking 10–20 cigarettes a day.

• Asthma and chronic cough are more common in cleaners and people regularly exposed to fragranced products.

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – often added as fragrance to make products “smell clean” – are irritants that can trigger wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness.

• Professional cleaners are at higher risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma because of repeated daily exposure.

Fragrance is not cleanliness – it’s just another chemical. It masks odours without tackling the source. For sensitive people, that “fresh scent” can come at the cost of inflamed airways and reduced lung capacity.

Who Benefits from Avoiding Harsh, Heavily Scented Products?

The benefits reach far beyond cleaners like me:

• Clients and their families – especially those with asthma, COPD, or allergies.

• Children – whose lungs are still developing and are more vulnerable to pollutants.

• Pets – who are closer to treated surfaces and are often more sensitive to chemical residues.

• Elderly or immunocompromised people – who can be more susceptible to irritation or respiratory strain.

• The environment – concentrated professional products reduce plastic packaging, transport emissions, and chemical waste.

In other words, everyone in the home, including the wider community, stands to gain.

Why We Only Use Professional Products

At Tembo Cleaning Services, we’ve taken the time to carefully develop our range of favourite professional cleaning products. They are highly effective, designed for regular daily use, and come in concentrated form – meaning less packaging, lower carbon footprint, and safer handling. We never, ever use bleach. It doesn’t clean, it lingers with a harsh odour, and it carries unnecessary risks for both health and surfaces.

By choosing professional-grade, fragrance-light, safe products, we’re not just protecting our team – we’re protecting your household too. Clean doesn’t need to mean chemical-laden, and fresh doesn’t need to mean perfumed.

✨ 3 Simple Ways to Reduce Chemical Load at Home

• Switch to fragrance-free where possible – avoid products that rely on “fresh scent” to feel effective. Real cleaning doesn’t need perfume.

• Ventilate well – always open windows or use extractor fans when using sprays to keep indoor air healthier.

• Use concentrates – where available, choose products designed to be diluted. They last longer, cut plastic waste, and reduce unnecessary chemical exposure.