There are millions of household items that consumers can buy, either in stores or online. Some of them have existed for many decades or even longer in various forms. Others are relatively new but have become staples of modern life.
Various entities test these products before they allow humans to buy them. Once these governmental or independent bodies sign off on these products, shoppers can feel safer buying them since they have presumably gone through an oversight process.
However, some products make it onto store shelves that people frequently buy and use that are undeniably dangerous, even if they are legal and various governing bodies have tested them. We’ll look at some of them right now. Because they can potentially negatively impact your health, you may want to consider whether or not getting rid of them is in your best interest.
Gas Space Heaters
You often hear about product liability lawsuits. For instance, recently, a pesticide called Parquet has prompted personal injury lawsuits because scientists and medical professionals have linked its usage to Parkinson’s disease. Gas space heaters are another example of potentially dangerous household items that often draw product liability suits.
Many individuals want to use space heaters if they live in homes that do not reach a comfortable temperature in the winter. For example, someone might use a space heater in a second or third-floor bedroom if the HVAC system does not allow much heat to reach them there.
While space heaters are a sound idea if your furnace’s heat does not reach you very well, the gas-powered variety often produces toxins. Using these indoors can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, which can prove fatal. Carbon monoxide can poison and kill you very rapidly, so if you want to get a space heater, it’s much better to go with an electric version.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Everyone wants a clean toilet bowl. You either need to clean your toilet thoroughly yourself periodically, or else you’ll have to hire someone to do it if you have the financial means to do so.
Assuming you’re cleaning your toilet yourself, you need to be very careful when you use toilet bowl cleaning chemicals. They contain corrosive ingredients and are highly acidic.
The last thing you’d ever want is to touch that sort of cleaner with your bare skin. If you are going to clean your toilet, makes sure that you wear heavy-duty cleaning gloves that companies make for protective purposes.
Furniture Stain and Polish
Furniture stains and polishes can get your wooden furniture gleaming like it’s brand new. These polishes are also highly flammable, though.
Sometimes, if a house fire starts, it can quickly spread out of control if it touches these chemicals. A small blaze can grow to an inferno in an instant if it meets with some furniture stains on a shelf or underneath a cabinet.
You should store these very carefully if you are going to have them in the house. You should also never allow them to touch your bare skin, as they contain both nitrobenzene and phenol. These can give you skin cancer if your skin contacts them.
Air Fresheners
You can buy all sorts of air fresheners for cars and homes. Some of them have pleasant smells you might enjoy.
The issue is that they often contain toxins that can accumulate in your body as time passes. These toxins can impact your hormone levels.
They can impact your reproductive health, and doctors say that children, in particular, should avoid them. If you want your home to smell nice, you should probably look into other options.
Non-Stick Cookware
Non-stick cookware definitely comes in handy if you’re going to cook certain dishes. Unfortunately, the non-stick coating that companies apply can harm you.
This coating releases gases when you heat it, such as if you’re making food with a non-stick frying pan on the stove. These gases increase your chances to develop various cancers over time, and they can lead to other health problems as well.
You will also want to look out for things like tick and flea products you’d give your pets. If you handle them, they can cause nerve damage. Oven cleaners contain corrosive alkalis, while many other cleaning products also contain harmful ingredients.
The best thing you can do with any product is research it thoroughly before you take it into your home. Remember that just because you can buy it, that does not always mean it’s totally safe.
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