According to the research conducted by Harvard University for the last three decades, using bleach merely once per week increases the chance of catching Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) by 32 percent.

According to the article published in the BBC, a study was conducted with the participation of more than 55,000 nurses. By the end of the study 663 of the subjects were diagnosed with the condition.

The nurses' exposure to disinfectants was evaluated via a questionnaire and other factors that could have distorted the results. The age, weight and ethnicity of the subjects were taken into account in evaluating the study results.

Disinfectant use has previously been associated with an increased risk of respiratory problems such as asthma. However, the new study is thought to be the first to identify a link between COPD and specific cleaning chemicals known as quaternary ammonium compounds (quats).