Cleaners, detergents, auto supplies, and paint are examples of different household items that may contain hazardous chemicals. Just about every room in your house contains potentially hazardous chemicals. Products that we use on a daily basis can represent not only minor but also life-threatening health risks for your family if they are not stored or used properly.
Let us take a tour of your home to learn about some of these substances and their potential health risks. Remember that most household items and pesticides are safe and will not be harmful to your health if used as indicated. The level of toxicity of different inorganic and chemical products depends on the dose. Make sure never to overuse such products and always follow the amounts shown on the label.
A growing body of evidence suggests that the harmful chemicals in daily household products may carry risks for developing various health issues, ranging from reproductive and respiratory problems to various types of cancer. Relatively safe in small quantities, these substances can accumulate in the body over time to manifest in serious health risks.
Plastic Food Containers
Have you ever wondered why transparent plastic food containers become cloudy after a few times in the dishwasher? Plastic breaks down over time, and when it does it releases potentially harmful chemicals into your food. It’s better to use glass containers instead of plastic.
Prepared Foods in Plastic Containers
You do not necessarily need to throw these all away, but you shouldn’t heat prepared food in plastic containers. When you heat plastic in the microwave, it releases harmful chemicals that contaminate your food. Always put your prepared food in a glass container before cooking or heating it in the microwave.
Nonstick Cookware
Most non-stick cookware contains perfluorooctanoic acid, which some studies have linked to cancer. Instead, replace non-stick cookware with cast iron, stainless steel, or enamel cookware instead.
Air Fresheners
Everything you inhale eventually makes its way into your bloodstream. Harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, p-dichlorobenzene, and aerosol propellants can be found in some air fresheners. These substances can may cancer, brain damage, and other health issues, in addition to being explosive in many cases. If you want to perfume your home, it’s better to use fresh flowers or scented organic candles prepared with essential oils.
Mothballs
Mothballs contain harmful pesticides such as naphthalene and p-dichlorobenzene and their vapor can cause headaches, dizziness, allergies, and irritation. Prolonged exposure to these harmful chemicals and fumes may even lead to cataracts and liver damage.
Perfumes
Different perfumes can contain over three hundred chemical compounds. Most perfume brands do not provide a list of ingredients because they do not want their secrets leaked to their competitors, but this makes it almost impossible to know if they’re loaded with toxic chemicals. Switch to products scented with natural oils instead of chemical perfumes or colognes.
Cleaning Supplies
It’s important to check the labels of the cleaning products you use for chemical components such as phthalates and chemical surfactants. Better still, use natural ingredients such as baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and hot water. All these are natural alternatives that clean effectively without contaminating your home environment.
Inorganic Fibres
Inorganic fibres are found in a range of common household products, such as synthetic glass, metal, and carbon materials, and many have harmful effects on the human body. Try to exchange toxic, synthetic, and non-biodegradable materials to natural, sustainable, and organic fibres.
Cosmetics
From shampoo to lipstick, many cosmetics products contain harmful chemicals. Always choose water-based and organic cosmetics made from natural ingredients. Avoid personal care, cosmetics and hair products that contain components like parabens and triclosan, which has been linked to hormone disruption.
Antiperspirants
Many antiperspirants contain aluminum and other harmful chemicals that we absorb through our sweat glands. These harmful substances cause a range of skin and health issues, so consider using aluminium-free antiperspirants or natural deodorants.
Sunscreens Containing Oxybenzone
Chemicals in some sunscreens, notable oxybenzone, have been shown in studies to lead to health problems including cancer when they penetrate the skin. Mineral sunscreens containing zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the safest option.
Dishwashing Detergent
Phosphate is the primary ingredient in both automatic and hand dishwashing detergents. Many people experience skin irritations or burns from automatic dishwashing detergents, and they can be deadly if consumed. Handwashing dishwashing detergents are milder, but contain the same potentially harmful chemical.
Furniture Polish
Furniture polish contains many harmful compounds such as ammonia, naphtha, nitrobenzene, and phenol. These chemicals may irritate your skin and respiratory system. Stain blockers build an impenetrable plastic shield over your furniture. This plastic shield on your furniture will break down over time, polluting the environment of your home. Instead of attempting to prevent stains with a stain blocker, clean furniture as needed with wooden furniture cleaner.
Many of the products found in our homes contain toxic and potentially dangerous chemicals, especially if large quantities build up in the body over time. Luckily, there are a range of natural and safe alternatives, from cleaning products to cosmetics.