Chemicals In Your Home: How To Check Them

Are you curious about the chemicals in your home and how to check them for potential danger? Chemicals appear throughout the home in both cleaning products and other commonly used home products, so checking for them is important. By checking for chemicals in your household products, you can take action and make sure these chemicals are stored in safe, out-of-reach locations in your home.

Lye is a very dangerous household chemical that appears in a variety of cleaning products, including powerful oven cleaners. Lye can cause skin burns, eye irritation and is fatal if it is swallowed; it is also highly corrosive, which can spell trouble for various household surfaces. Check for lye, which is sometimes labeled as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, in your cleaning products. Should it appear, handle the product with extreme caution and use only as directed.

Ammonia typically appears in window cleaners. Be sure to read your cleaning product labels and look for ammonia. If you are using a product with ammonia, wear gloves and use the product in an area with plenty of ventilation. Ammonia can irritate the eyes, skin, nose and throat while also causing drowsiness, making it a chemical to exercise extra caution with at all times.

Perchloroethylene and naphthalene are both household chemicals that appear in carpet cleaners and spot-targeting products. Familiarize yourself with your household cleaning products that use these chemicals and do your best to avoid breathing in the fumes. Both perchloroethylene and naphthalene can cause major health issues, including cancer, liver damage and nausea. 

Sulfuric acid appears in drain cleaning products used to force clogs through your pipes. If you are using such a product in your home, it is important to exercise extreme caution as sulfuric acid can cause intense skin burns and even blindness when it comes in contact with the eyes. Protective eye gear and gloves are a must.

It is important to check your home and household products for chemicals and to learn the safety guidelines you should follow when using common cleaners that utilize these chemicals as active ingredients.

Resources:

Environmental Protection Agency