How Dangerous Are Household Cleaners?

Answer 1

when used correctly not dangerous

Answer 2

Are Conventional Household Cleaners Harmful?

It's no secret that almost all conventional household cleaners contain some toxic ingredients. Many contain carcinogens or suspected carcinogens, as well. However, the danger the chemicals pose really depends on how often you use the products in which they're found and the length of time you're exposed to the fumes. Some of the effects are unpleasant but transient. Here's a list of some of the common chemicals found in household products and the symptoms they can cause.

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Chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite): If mixed with ammonia, vinegar or other acid-based cleaners, it will release toxic chloramine gas; short-term exposure to this gas can cause mild asthmatic symptoms or more serious respiratory problems. Never mix bleach with these other substances.

Petroleum distillates: Found in metal polishes, these chemicals can irritate the eyes and lungs; longer-term exposure can damage the nervous system, kidneys, eyes and skin.
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Ammonia: Can irritate eyes and lungs and cause headaches.

Phenol and cresol: Found in disinfectants, and if ingested can cause diarrhea, fainting, dizziness, and kidney and liver damage.

Nitrobenzene: Found in furniture and floor polishes, and if inhaled can cause shallow breathing; if ingested can cause poisoning and death. This substance has also been linked to cancer and birth defects.

Formaldehyde: Used as a preservative in many household products, formaldehyde is a suspected human carcinogen that can irritate your eyes, throat, skin and lungs.

Naphthalene: Found in mothballs, this suspected carcinogen may damage the eyes, blood cells, liver, kidneys, skin and the central nervous system.

Paradichlorbenzene: Another chemical in mothballs, can harm the central nervous system, liver and kidneys.

Hydrochloric acid or sodium acid sulfate: Found in toilet bowl cleaners, these chemicals can burn the skin and cause blindness if splashed in the eyes, or can burn the stomach if ingested.
To learn more about the hazards of chemicals in common household products, I suggest visiting www.epa.gov, the Web site of the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA advises buying only nontoxic, unscented cleaning products such as those that can be found from mail-order sources or in health-food stores. Another possibility is to substitute gentler products such as baking soda, vinegar, salt and vegetable oil-based liquid soap for most household cleaning.

Answer 3

read the labels . anything with some form of chemicals to some extent I would think in due time could be harmful .
Thats why these kids always want these Aresole Spray cans and all for there habits

Answer 4

THEY CAN KILL YOU, OR BLIND YOU. Always read the instructions on the label of any household cleaner. You will notice it says "KEEP OUT OF REACH FROM CHILDREN"

Answer 5

Most are probably fairly safe, if u follow the instructions exactly. However, who bothers to read the labels? I have found that there is almost nothing that vinegar, baking soda, or lemon juice won't clean though and that makes me feel safer with kids in the house.

Answer 6

i would not have blended a gaggle of stuff jointly yet seeing as you probably did, i think of you probably did the ideal venture via beginning up the living house windows and turning on the fan...The fumes could be risky to respire in and in case you do get the marker stain out the cushion could be advantageous to sit down on... i'm hoping the cleaners do no longer "consume" away on the cloth on you.. consistent with possibility while your performed cleansing it attempt and rinse it with chilly water to get all the cleaners out you would be ok do purely no longer breathe it in

Answer 7

Most cleaners are toxic. If you have children you should not let them near the room you are cleaning. There are natural alternative to commercial cleaning products. Try melaleuca.com

Answer 8

Follow the instructions on the label and you shouldn't have any unpleasant surprises. It is the combination of some that makes dangerous fumes.

Answer 9

dangerous if your child is licking the floor that you mopped.
or if you leave them around where they can take and remove the cap.
strong products like bleach or clorex, if using in the bathroom or kitchen for cleaning. please have your child away from that room and windows opened because those have harmful vapors which are strong for an adult but we will survive but for a child it's even more harmful.

Answer 10

well most of them are toxic and breathing lots of vapors from chemicals over time im sure will cause certain risks, but as for 100% knowledge of how harmful im sorry i really dont know... i own a cleaning business and clean and use chemicals every day so im sure im going to have respitory issues later in life :)

Answer 11

It depends on thier chemical make-up and if they are stored and used properly. Items come with instruction and warning labels for a reason.