Written by TINCTURE Founder, Angelika Davenport.
It all started with a simple thought.
I was lying in the maternity ward of a London hospital. As I looked around me with this tiny, vulnerable baby in my arms, I saw the fantastic hospital staff moving around me; cleaning, sterilising.
But as they cleaned it wasn’t a fresh scent that hit me. It was noxious, strong, artificial. I thought to myself that these synthetic cleaners couldn’t be healthy for me, the small lungs of my newborn baby, the other patients or the staff. Frustratingly I couldn’t even open the windows to allow fresh air to come into the room as all windows were locked or could only be opened a tiny fraction for post- natal depression precautions!
Over the coming years I spent my time researching indoor air pollution. In particular I came across a shocking body of research from the Environmental Protection Agency in both the UK and the US which revealed that the typical air inside a typical home, school or workplace can be up to five times more polluted than the air directly outside.
I also found that 93% of our children breathe in air that contain higher concentrations of pollutants than deemed safe for human health.
This research wasn't just limited to one country or industry. The more I read, the more I realised that this was a well researched concern - it just wasn't one that has reached the mainstream media yet.
The problem is that over the past decade we have become ‘an indoor generation’. We have forgotten about nature and we now spend 90% of our time indoors in closed environments.
Fundamentally we are born with a deep connection to nature and the outside; natural light and fresh air, all of which improve our bodies and mind. But over the years we’ve moved inside to spend more time in our homes – the ones we have built to be well insulated let nothing escape, neither heat nor air.
We cook, eat, sleep, work, play, sweat and shower in our houses. We use dehumidifiers, fans, radiators, air fresheners – all of which make our homes more comfortable but don’t purify our air - in most cases actually masking and compounding the problem rather than improving indoor air quality.
As the air inside our homes has turned bad, the popularity of home fragrance and candles has increased, as we try to treat the 'smells' with a chemical fix. We are replacing nature and outdoor air with artificial products capturing 'sea breeze' and 'frosted pine' in chemically driven products.
Researchers identified the main culprits as volatile chemical compounds (VOCs), which are released by household products such as cleaners, candles, diffusers, plug-ins and air fresheners. This is when I decided to look at the cause rather than just treat the symptoms.
Millions of homes are unhealthy to live in and increase the risk of developing asthma by 40%. In the UK today 1 in 11 children are receiving treatment for asthma. Poor indoor air quality is the primary cause for many who suffer from asthma and allergies. Shockingly, children’s rooms generally have the highest level of toxins in the house.
As I continued reading and learning, I began to realise just how enormous the impact toxic household chemicals were potentially having on the health and wellbeing of my four children. I needed to find an alternative that would allow my family to live in a clean and comfortable space but didn’t contain any of the nasties that could cause harm.
And so TINCTURE was born. Made here in the UK from all natural ingredients derived from plant extracts, essential oils and anti-microbial active silver, TINCTURE cleaning products have the power to clean the home without the need for harsh chemicals.
Changing your cleaning products alone won’t completely eradicate indoor air pollution, but alongside letting plenty of fresh air into your home and reducing unnecessary chemical sprays and fragrances, your home will be a healthier place to live for you and your family.