Top 10 Household Toxins: Are These In Your Home?

By Barbara-Jean Gill

Melaleuca - The Wellness Company

. http://www.saferforyou.com

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Top 10 Household Toxins: Are These In Your Home?

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that 150 common household chemicals have been linked to allergies, asthma, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities.

Here are the top 10 potentially harmful household chemicals by product:

Air Fresheners: Most air fresheners interfere with our ability to smell by coating the nasal passages with an oil film or by releasing a nerve-deadening agent. Know chemicals found in air fresheners are formaldehyde and phenol.

Ammonia: A very volatile chemical. Can damage your eyes, respiratory tract and skin.

Chlorine Bleach: Strong corrosive; can irritate or burn the skin, eye, and respiratory tract. Linked to pulmonary edema or vomiting and coma if ingested. Warning: Never mix chlorine and ammonia together; one can die from the fumes.

Carpet and Upholstery Shampoo: Often contain perchlorethylene, a known carcinogen, which can damage the liver, kidney and nervous system, and ammonium hydroxide, which is corrosive, and can be extremely irritable to eyes, skin and respiratory passages.

Dishwasher Detergents: Most products contain chlorine in a dry form that is highly concentrated. Dish detergents are the number one cause of child poisonings, according to the poison control centers.

Drain Cleaners: Most drain cleaners contain: lye, which his very caustic, and can burn the skin and eyes; if ingested will damage esophagus and stomach. Hydrochloric acid, which is corrosive, a eye and skin irritant, can damage the liver, kidneys and digestive tract. Trichloroethane, an eye and skin irritant, nervous system depressant and can damage the liver and kidneys.

Furniture Polish: Contains petroleum distillates which are highly flammable, and can cause skin and lung cancer.

Mold and Mildew Cleaners: These products contain sodium hypochlorite which is corrosive, irritates or burns skin and eyes; causes fluid in the lung which can lead to coma or death. These may also contain formaldehyde.

Oven Cleaners: These products contain sodium hydroxide (lye) which is a caustic, strong irritant, which can burn skin and eyes. Ingredients may also inhibit reflexes and can cause severe tissue damage if swallowed.

Antibacterial Soaps: Many contain ingredients like formaldehyde and triclosan. Triclosan is linked to liver damage as it is absorbed through the skin during use.

Laundry Room Products: Sodium or calcium hypocrite is high corrosive (it burns the dirt out of your clothes), and can irritate or burn skin, eyes or respiratory tract. Sodium Tripolyphosphate can irritate the skin and mucous membranes.

Toilet Bowl Cleaners: Contains hydrochloric acid, which is highly corrosive, a skin and eye irritant and damaging to kidneys and liver. Hypochlorite bleach is also corrosive, can irritate or burn eyes, skin and respiratory tract. May also cause pulmonary edema, vomiting or coma if ingested.

As a consumer the product has to work and it has to be reasonably priced. Do your homework and know what you are bringing into your home. Decide what is best for you and your family. Be a conscious consumer and know what you are buying and who is getting your hard-earned money.