Why do your favorite cleaners smell so awesome? It’s science! (Mostly.)

Would a rose by any other name really smell so sweet?

 Heather Libby
04.19.16

Smell may be the most undervalued of all of the senses — but it shouldn't be.

A McCann Worldgroup study even found that some millennials rank their sense of smell below their phone and laptop in terms of importance. But we actually pay attention to smells a lot more than you may realize, especially when choosing items that go in our homes.

Consumer data shows that we buy A LOT of scented cleaning products. In a 2014 study, a polling company found that 40% of American consumers considered whether a dishwashing detergent had "a pleasant fragrance" when buying it.

And it makes sense — our olfactory cells feed information to our brains about things we might not be able to see. According to some doctors and researchers, what we smell may even directly affect our moods and our minds.

GIF from "Broad City."

Next time you're picking up a new cleaning product, here's what three of the most common scents mean to your brain — and one scent you won't find in the cleaning aisle.

1. For our noses, lemon-iness is next to cleanliness.

Image by iStock.

Even on their own, lemons are a popular tool for housecleaning. The juice of this lovely citrus has astringent properties for cleaning, and its oil is a powerful moisturizing wood cleaner and polish. Plus, it smells absolutely divine!

In aromatherapy, lemon oil is called the "rational" oil since it is believed to aid in the decision-making process. A study of lemon balm found that it may help improve mood and memory.

2. Lavender is loved for its calming powers (even when it doesn't really smell like lavender).

Image by iStock.

Like vanilla, lavender has become a very popular scent for cleaning products. Extracted from the flowers of the lavender bush, this gentle scent is flowery, woodsy, and slightly sweet.

When it comes to its use in cleaning products, you might not want to believe your nose. According to a scent specialist interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, many of the supposedly "lavender-scented" products on shelves today don't really smell like it. Since some consumers don't like the smell of lavender by itself — but really like the idea of things smelling like it — the products may be scented with things associated with the flowering shrub, like fresh fruit, vanilla, florals, and wood.

3. You don't need to speak the language of flowers to understand their scent-sual benefits.

Image by iStock.

There's a reason so many lifestyle gurus recommend keeping a bouquet of fresh flowers in the home at all times — they really do make things feel special. One of the most popular scents in the world, rose is lauded in the aromatherapy world for its many health benefits. Devotees say the scent of roses can improve moods, boost libido, and improve circulation, and rose oil can do double duty as an astringent and antiseptic. One study by The Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation even found that the presence of a floral aroma increased speed on a memory test.

4. One scent you won't find in cleaning products, even though you probably love it? Chocolate.

Image by iStock.

Chocolate is one of the most delicious and recognizable smells. But despite all its enticing qualities, it's unlikely you'll find it in cleaning products anytime soon.

Products that smell like cooked food may get confused with actual cooking smells, and products that smell too sugary can make consumers think of sticky fingers — the last thing you want associated with a cleaning product.

When it comes to our happiness, pleasing scents can pack a powerful punch. But not all fragrances are made of safe and healthy chemicals.

For the most part, I don't mind being emotionally manipulated by nice-smelling cleaning products because it really does make the chore of tidying up feel less like one. But, at the same time, I want to know that the chemicals that make my house smell amazing aren't having adverse effects on my health. And for some fragrance additives, there's a chance they might do just that. Here's what Physicians for Social Responsibility found out:

"In 2008, in an effort to improve transparency, the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) released a master list of over 3,100 chemicals that are used by the fragrance industry. Among the chemicals on the list are carcinogens like p-dichlorobenzene and styrene oxide; endocrine disruptors like galaxolide and tonalide (both synthetic musks); the phthalates diethyl phthalate (DEP) and di-isononyl phthalate (DINP); and problematic disinfectants like triclosan and ammonium quaternary compounds. Not surprisingly, numerous allergens are also included in the list. Unfortunately, there is no data provided on how commonly these chemicals are used, by amount or even by type of fragranced product."

Yikes, right? Plus, fragrance ingredients are often considered trade secrets and are not required to be disclosed on cleaning product packaging, so it's really hard to know what you're getting.

If you're worried about potentially harmful additives pumping up the sweet scents in your cleaning products, the smartest and easiest way to be in the know is to buy from companies that tell you the whole story of what they put into the products they sell you — no matter how delicious or soothing or sweetly they smell. Read up, buy smart, and then breathe in deeply!

cleaning products smell sense of smell noses lemon scent rose scent lavender scent chocolate scent scents cleaning product scent household products
Heroes
True
Seventh Generation

Oprah's social experiment on audience members puts racism in a new light

On an old episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in July 1992, Oprah put her audience through a social experiment that puts racism in a new light. Despite being nearly two decades old, it's as relevant today as ever.

She split the audience members into two groups based on their eye color. Those with brown eyes were given preferential treatment by getting to cut the line and given refreshments while they waited to be seated. Those with blue eyes were made to put on a green collar and wait in a crowd for two hours.

Staff were instructed to be extra polite to brown-eyed people and to discriminate against blue-eyed people. Her guest for that day's show was diversity expert Jane Elliott, who helped set up the experiment and played along, explaining that brown-eyed people were smarter than blue-eyed people.

Watch the video to see how this experiment plays out.

Oprah's Social Experiment on Her Audience www.youtube.com

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Culture

Cadbury removed the words from its wrappers to bring attention to a seldom-discussed issue

The candy giant said it "donated" the words.

via Cadbury

Cadbury has removed the words from its Dairy Milk chocolate bars in the U.K. to draw attention to a serious issue, senior loneliness.

On September 4, Cadbury released the limited-edition candy bars in supermarkets and for every one sold, the candy giant will donate 30p (37 cents) to Age UK, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for the elderly.

Cadbury was prompted to help the organization after it was revealed that 225,000 elderly people in the UK often go an entire week without speaking to another person.

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Well Being
Walgreens
Walgreens

Teachers seek outside support to tackle today’s challenges in the classroom

Young people today are facing what seems to be greater exposure to complex issues like mental health, bullying, and youth violence. As a result, teachers are required to be well-versed in far more than school curriculum to ensure students are prepared to face the world inside and outside of the classroom. Acting as more than teachers, but also mentors, counselors, and cheerleaders, they must be equipped with practical and relevant resources to help their students navigate some of the more complicated social issues – though access to such tools isn't always guaranteed.

Take Dr. Jackie Sanderlin, for example, who's worked in the education system for over 25 years, and as a teacher for seven. Entering the profession, she didn't anticipate how much influence a student's home life could affect her classroom, including "students who lived in foster homes" and "lacked parental support."

Dr. Jackie Sanderlin, who's worked in the education system for over 25 years.

Valerie Anglemyer, a middle school teacher with more than 13 years of experience, says it can be difficult to create engaging course work that's applicable to the challenges students face. "I think that sometimes, teachers don't know where to begin. Teachers are always looking for ways to make learning in their classrooms more relevant."

So what resources do teachers turn to in an increasingly fractured world? "Joining a professional learning network that supports and challenges thinking is one of the most impactful things that a teacher can do to support their own learning," Anglemyer says.

Valerie Anglemyer, a middle school teacher with more than 13 years of experience.

A new program for teachers that offers this network along with other resources is the WE Teachers Program, an initiative developed by Walgreens in partnership with ME to WE and Mental Health America. WE Teachers provides tools and resources, at no cost to teachers, looking for guidance around the social issues related to poverty, youth violence, mental health, bullying, and diversity and inclusion. Through online modules and trainings as well as a digital community, these resources help them address the critical issues their students face.

Jessica Mauritzen, a high school Spanish teacher, credits a network of support for providing her with new opportunities to enrich the learning experience for her students. "This past year was a year of awakening for me and through support… I realized that I was able to teach in a way that built up our community, our school, and our students, and supported them to become young leaders," she says.

With the new WE Teachers program, teachers can learn to identify the tough issues affecting their students, secure the tools needed to address them in a supportive manner, and help students become more socially-conscious, compassionate, and engaged citizens.

It's a potentially life-saving experience for students, and in turn, "a great gift for teachers," says Dr. Sanderlin.

"I wish I had the WE Teachers program when I was a teacher because it provides the online training and resources teachers need to begin to grapple with these critical social issues that plague our students every day," she adds.

In addition to the WE Teachers curriculum, the program features a WE Teachers Award to honor educators who go above and beyond in their classrooms. At least 500 teachers will be recognized and each will receive a $500 Walgreens gift card, which is the average amount teachers spend out-of-pocket on supplies annually. Teachers can be nominated or apply themselves. To learn more about the awards and how to nominate an amazing teacher, or sign up for access to the teacher resources available through WE Teachers, visit walgreens.com/metowe.

WE Teachers
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Walgreens

Fed up news anchor has the best response to a man who told her to dress ‘like a normal woman’

Women shouldn't have to dress for the male gaze.

via KGW-TV / YouTube

One of the major differences between women and men is that women are often judged based on their looks rather than their character or abilities.

"Men as well as women tend to establish the worth of individual women primarily by the way their body looks, research shows. We do not do this when we evaluate men," Naomi Ellemers Ph.D. wrote in Psychology Today.

Dr. Ellers believes that this tendency to judge a woman solely on her looks causes them to be seen as an object rather than a person.

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Culture