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Top 5 Household Toxins and Their Health Risks

by: Heavenly Guides | last updated: March 31, 2010
Category: Household Toxins | Tags: Household toxins, toxins in house, toxins in home, toxins present in house, lead poisoning in house, lead in house, formaldehyde toxin in house, radon in house, toxins in household cleaning agents, carbon monoxide poisoning in house
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Top 5 Household Toxins and Their Health Risks

We live in a very contaminated world! Believe it or not, even your house is not safe from contamination — deadly and otherwise. We are not talking about dust and garbage, but about harmful toxins that come in all forms and shapes. Here, you will come to know about top 5 toxins in your house namely Formaldehyde, Lead, Radon, Carbon Monoxide and toxins present in Cleaning Agents. These are situated in your house in hidden and subtle places and it is very important to get rid of them. They pose health risk and some of them can be as serious as cancer. Do not panic! Find out if your home houses these toxins and get it secured. Leave a comment to suggest better ways of cleansing the house.

 

 
Formaldehyde: It is one of the most common household toxins. You will find it coming out of adhesive materials used for binding wooden furniture, and in other building materials like plywood. Federal regulations have limited the use of this chemical which is colorless and odorless. It is harmful because when inhaled, it can be a cause of something as small as eye irritation or dizziness or something as lethal as cancer.
 
Radon: Is a radioactive gas which enters your house through air and water. It is formed because of natural decaying of uranium in soil beneath the foundation of your house. It works its way up the soil and enters the house through cracks and holes in the foundation of your house. The process of removing it is called mitigation, and is generally done by sealing the cracks in your house or by creating a difference in the air pressure inside the house. Prolonged exposure can cause lung cancer.
 
Lead: Is still the most toxic element found in houses, and have the most adverse effect on human beings. It is very dangerous and is still found in some of the old houses. That is because till around 1980's, paint used to contain lead and if those paints are still up on your walls, then you are living in a toxic house! Lead contamination also occurs through drinking water. Early on, the plumbing of the houses used to contain lead pipes, a practice which has now been discontinued. Some countries still use asbestos, a sturdy material which has many industrial purposes but contains lead and is dangerous. Health hazards include neurological and kidney damage, disrupted blood cell production, problems in reproductive system and other disabilities.
 
Carbon monoxide: Is another name for the fumes that come out of a car, or the smoke which burning objects give out, or something as basic as smoking a cigarette. It kills an estimated 700 Americans each year, and the number is still increasing. It is a colorless and odorless gas which is formed because of incomplete combustion of any substance (in other words, an object that does not burn completely gives out Carbon Monoxide instead of Carbon Dioxide). Check your furnace or fireplace or garage. These are the main places where CO poisoning occurs in house. Health risks include shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and lung irritation while prolonged exposure can lead to death.
 
Cleaning Agents: Hydrofluoric Acid a commonly used liquid for removing rust in the house. It is a highly corrosive substance, which is main reason that it is so dangerous. It can cause severe damage to tissues and bones, eating them away pretty much the same way it does to the rust. Solvents such as Benzene and methyl ethyl ketome traverse cell walls unchecked by normal cell defense. Phenols are found in disinfectants, antiseptics, perfumes and even in air fresheners.

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