You may think that your home is a safe place for you and your family. However, it might be filled with dangerous chemicals that you don’t know about. This can put the occupants of your home at risk for some health issues. Here are 6 chemicals in your home that you should avoid.

Formaldehyde Can Be Found in Furniture

Your new furniture might come with a lot more than you bargained for. Formaldehyde may be present in the glue or the actual boards or the wood itself. Formaldehyde can cause the nose, throat, and eyes to become irritated. Exposure to high levels for an extended time has been linked to rare cancers, including throat and nose cancer.

Before you buy any new furniture, check to see what it’s made out of. Choose furniture crafted from natural materials that don’t contain any dangerous ingredients.

Butoxyethanol is One of the Most Dangerous Chemicals in Your Home

When you clean your home, you think that you are getting rid of harmful bacteria, dust, and debris. However, you may be introducing the chemical butoxyethanol, which is often found in all-purpose cleaners. It can cause nausea, vomiting, and irritation to the respiratory system.

Fortunately, you can easily keep this from happening. Read the ingredient labels on your cleaners. Get rid of any of them that contain butoxyethanol. There are alternative natural cleaners that contain safe ingredients to use in your home.

Polyvinyl Chloride Shower Curtains Put Chemicals in Your Home

In order to keep water from splashing out when you are taking a shower, a shower curtain is necessary. However, PVC shower curtains release dangerous chemicals into the air. They can cause headaches, respiratory issues, and harm to the liver and kidneys in highly concentrated amounts. If you have a plastic shower curtain, switch it out for a fabric option or one that is PVC-free.

Pesticides Can be Tracked in From the Outdoors

Some chemicals in your home are brought in from the outdoors. If you walk through a grassy area that was recently sprayed with pesticides, you can get it on your shoes. If you then walk inside your house with your shoes on, you will be spreading it around each room as you walk through the home. Pesticides can cause respiratory problems and headaches. You can keep pesticides out of your home by taking off your shoes at the front door.

There May be Lead in Some of Your Kid’s Toys

We all want our kids to be safe. However, you may be exposing them to lead and not even know it. One of the chemicals in your home could be lead in your kid’s toys. Most toys are safe, but you need to pay close attention to toys that are manufactured in certain countries, like China. These countries don’t have the same regulations for chemicals in toys as the United States. Lead poisoning can give your child learning issues, developmental delays, and behavioral problems.

Older Teflon Pans

Until recently, Teflon pans were made with a toxic chemical called PFOA. It was banned in 2014, so if you aren’t sure how old your cooking pans are or what they are made of, it is best to get rid of them and purchase new ones that are labeled PFOA-free. This dangerous chemical stays in the body for a long time and can cause cancer, developmental issues in fetuses, and many other health problems.

House Doctor Home Inspections provides home inspection services to Rhode Island. Contact us to schedule your appointment.