The Deadliest Items In Your Home & Yard

Your home could be a deathtrap and you may not even know. House cleaners and disinfectants, bathroom products, garden tools and other items could be dangerous to you and your family’s well being. To find out what might be an accident waiting to happen, take the time to search through your home and discover how you can make it more of a safe haven.

Deadly Items In Your Home

Poisonous household products can be deadly if used or stored without following directions. Always keep chemical products out of reach from children and pets. In your kitchen, take note of products including:

• ammonias
• bug sprays
• insect traps
• cleansers
• disinfectants
• drain cleaners
• all medicines
• all polishes
• soaps
• detergents
• bleaches

Make sure all these items have safety caps and do not leak. More hazards in your home that maybe overlooked if used excessively or ingested by children or pets are:

• alcohol
• cigarettes
• nicotine patches
• pet medicines

Note, too, that indoor formaldehyde emissions from pressed wood items can present formaldehyde exposure, which can set off watery eyes, burning eyes and throat, difficulty in breathing and asthma attacks. It has been discovered that formaldehyde exposure can cause cancer in animals. The risk is greater with older pressed wood products because there has been more regulation with newer wood products.

Dangerous Chemicals In Your Carpet

Chemicals in carpets have come under greater scrutiny because of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with new carpet installation. The glue and dyes used with carpeting are known to emit VOCs, which can be harmful to your health in high concentrations. Carpet chemicals have been studied and linked to certain diseases in newborns and children including Kawasaki disease. In addition, some laser printers give off ultra fine particles that can cause serious health problems with the release of VOCs and ozone particulates. All of these have been linked with heart and lung disease.

Poisons In Your Bathroom

In your bathroom, get rid of outdated prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, old cosmetics, health products and body products. These items do turn bad and can be lethal if ingested. Other items such as alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, bath oil, floor, window, toilet bowl, and tub cleaners can be very hazardous and should be stored away from children and with safe caps, and be wiped down after using.

Dangerous Products In Your Laundry Room

Even a laundry room or area has its hazards. Bleach, stain removers and starch can be extremely dangerous and damaging if in the wrong hands or even over used. Keep away from children and make sure all safety caps work.

Poisons In The Bedroom

A bedroom can be a forgotten storage area for cosmetics, nail polish, nail polish remover, perfumes and colognes, which can stain and damage furniture if not properly stored. In addition, there is a shelf life to all these items and they can all be harmful if ingested. In addition, all medicines such as cough medicine, prescription drugs, and sleeping aids can be treacherous if in the reach of children. Keep in mind that mothballs and all types of ointments can also be hazardous to your health if not kept sealed and discarded after long periods of time.

Hazards In The Garage

In a garage or outdoor shed there are plenty of hazardous materials in chemicals that go unnoticed for years. These items include antifreeze, cleaning fluids for cars, lawn fertilizers, weed killers, gasoline and kerosene, lighter fluid, lime and lye, mothballs, paint and paint remover, pesticides, insecticides and turpentine. Studies on paradichlorobenzene, an active ingredient in some repellents, have discovered that it can cause cancer in animals. Other types of mothballs use naphthalene, which after prolonged exposure can damage or destroy red blood cells, and can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. In addition, most households in the U.S. use some form of pesticide, which is a chemical formula designed to kill everything from tiny microorganisms to large rodents.

Besides the chemical issues that can lead to dangerous health problems, a garage must be cleaned out. Rusty nails, saws, power tools, electrical cords, glass and a number of left over and broken items end up in a garage. These items can cause emergency room situations and infections if not regularly cleaned out and discarded. (For a guide on how to clean your garage, see 10 Simple Steps To Cleaning Out Your Garage.)

Poisons In Your Lawn & Garden

Outside poisonous plants such as poison ivy, oak or sumac can cause extreme allergic reactions and should be removed if possible. Keep medicines and natural remedies for these types of allergic reactions, which should not be ignored. Put away equipment and discard broken tools and mowers or lawn care items. These are accidents waiting to happen if not removed. Fencing of all types should also be properly stored or discarded if not used. Nails, rusted metals and splintered wood from fencing can cause all types of accidents. For natural remedies to remove weeds, see Green Gardening: How To Remove Weeds Without Chemicals).

Replace as many cleaning products, lawn chemicals, cosmetics, laundry cleaners, household disinfectants and other every day home use items with safer or even greener items to lower your chances of hazardous situations with your family and home safety. Always have a plan of action for accidents or problems with phone numbers and websites with immediate information to control a hazardous situation before needing professional and emergency care. Every season, you should make sure your garden is safe and clean of poisonous plants and dangerous obstacles left out or rusted. Spring cleaning for the garden is an easy way to ensure this is done. In addition, clean out your garage of all hazardous materials and waste when ever possible. Organizing and maintaining a safe home is beneficial for all pets, children, family and friends. (For more information on pet hazards in the home, see Dangerous Plants For Pets & Other Hazards In The Home).