The Health Risks of Common Household Chemicals in Cleaning Products

In 2018, the Poison Control Center said that they helped 2.1 million people deal with an accidental poisoning exposure. 

Some common cleaners have chemicals in them that can be poisonous to you and your children, making some of them dangerous to keep in the house. 

Were you aware that the common cleaners you use could be toxic? Here are the most dangerous common household chemicals and why they’re bad for your health.

Ammonia

Ammonia is a compound that can cause problems with your respiratory system and make it harder to breathe. Ammonia can inflame your mucous membranes if you inhale it. If you spill it on your skin, it can cause chemical burns.

In addition, it can also react with chlorinated products, like bleach. If this interaction happens, it can produce a chloramine gas that is even more deadly to breathe. 

If you have someone in the household who suffers from asthma or has lung or heart problems, you should try and not use ammonia. 

To have safer products, check out some reasons for using the best cleaning products for your home. 

Bleach

Bleach is a very common household chemical. It’s a very powerful cleaner, but it has dangerous chemicals in it like the chemical sodium hypochlorite. This hypochlorite may be found in bleach at various levels, but most of the liquid is made of water. 

However, if you have a chlorine-based bleach, it can be very dangerous. If you breathe in the vapors, it can irritate your throat and nose. If you spill it on your skin, you may experience dermatitis. 

If you accidentally ingest it, you could have stomach irritation and nausea and vomiting. 

To be on the safe side, you should make sure you never mix bleach with any other chemicals because you could create dangerous gases. 

Pesticide Chemicals

You never want bugs to get into your house or ruin your yard, so you may end up using some insecticides. 

Permethrin is a common pesticide chemical, along with diazinon and chlorpyrifos. If you accidentally inhale or ingest these chemicals, you could suffer from dizziness, twitching, nausea, or chronic headaches. 

If you’re using insecticide in your home, make sure that you don’t accidentally get it on any food, silverware, countertop, or dishes. 

Chlorine

Chlorine is a chemical that is found in toilet bowl cleaners, mildew removers, laundry whiteners, scouring powders, and even some household tap water. 

There are so many ways you can be exposed to chlorine, including breathing in fumes and possibly having it get onto your skin. 

Thankfully chlorine doesn’t cause too many bad effects, but they can last for a long time. Even for a short time, they can cause respiratory problems. 

If you want a healthier option, you could always try using baking soda if you need to do some serious scrubbing. 

To whiten things, vinegar or borax powder both work well too. 

If you want to limit your exposure to chlorine in the water, you can also install filters on your faucets and showerheads. 

Formaldehyde

If you forgot to take the trash out last night, your home may not smell as fresh as it could. You may want to use an air freshener to make it smell great again, but you should think about the chemicals that are in it before you use it.

Many air fresheners contain formaldehyde which is a strong substance that can irritate the eyes, throat, and skin. Formaldehyde could also cause cancer. 

While not every air freshener has this chemical in it, you can always check the ingredients list to see if it is. If you see anything marked “Danger” or “Poison” on the label, you should keep shopping to try and find another alternative.  

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Hydroxide is also commonly known as lye. Lye is really corrosive, which is why it’s used for drain cleaners frequently. 

Lye can be especially dangerous and cause burns to your skin or eyes if a drop gets on it. If you swallow it, it can damage your esophagus or your stomach permanently.  You can also breathe it in which could leave you with a sore throat that lasts for days. 

If you want something to help scrub and corrode stains and other issues, baking soda paste is always a great and healthy alternative. 

You may also want to unclog drains with a mechanical tool. If you are still having issues, you may want to call a professional to help you. 

Sulfuric Acid

Sulfuric acid, along with lye, is normally used to unclog drains. 

Sulfuric acid is also just as dangerous as lye. It can irritate your skin. If you ingest it, it can damage your liver, digestive tract, or even your liver. 

These chemicals can also be dangerous because they produce fumes. The fumes can even cause blindness if it comes into contact with your eyes. If you swallow the drain cleaner, death could happen. 

If you’re going to be using a drain cleaner, make sure that you wear goggles and use protective gloves. 

Discover More Dangerous Common Household Chemicals

These are only a few of the most dangerous common household chemicals that you could have under your kitchen cabinet. 

If you can, try and find safer alternatives to these chemicals. If you do need to have these chemicals, make sure they are safely locked away so that your pets or children can’t get into them.

If you enjoyed this article, make sure you explore our website to find more just like this one!