Health

These Common Household Items Are Making Your Home Unhealthy

Pets in Beds At one time, researchers discouraged sleeping with pets simply because it could cause bad habits like possessiveness or even aggressiveness in some breeds.… Samantha Davis - September 30, 2022

Sleeping with your pet also means sleeping with any dust or dander they bring to bed. Paw Castle.

Pets in Beds

At one time, researchers discouraged sleeping with pets simply because it could cause bad habits like possessiveness or even aggressiveness in some breeds. While this has been disproven and veterinarians no longer dissuade people from sleeping with pets for this reason, having your pet sleep with you at night can also cause problems for your health.

You can get flea bites like these if your pet brings those pests to bed with you. Healthline.

The big problem isn’t your pet themselves, but rather, their fur and everything in it that they bring into bed with you. Even people who are not allergic to pets may notice allergies because of dirt, dust, or even mites in their pet’s fur. Fleas, ticks, and other pests that much on housepets are also a concern. If you are going to sleep with your pet, make it a habit to brush them before climbing into bed and keep up on their flea and tick treatments.

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Your shower curtain doesn’t have to look like this to be harboring bacteria. Abandoned Kansai.

Shower Curtains

A recent study conducted by SafeHome tested various shower curtains and surveyed people about showering habits, and the results may surprise you. The shower curtain is one of the most bacteria-contaminated surfaces in your bathroom, having upwards of 16,000 microbes per square inch. This is far more bacteria than you’d find even on your bathroom toilet.

While most of these bacteria aren’t harmful, shower curtain fibers can trap fecal matter from toilet plumes. Mold and mildew also grow pretty easily on shower curtains, especially if you have a lot of people using the shower and they don’t dry out all the way very often. The best defense is washing your shower curtains at least once a month. For most, just toss them in the laundry to clean.

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Air Fresheners

It’s pretty tempting to use air fresheners to give your home that extra boost of freshness between cleans, particularly in areas like the bathroom or kitchen that might have odors. While this sounds like a good idea, it’s actually dangerous in practice. Recent research from the University of Melbourne shows that around one-fourth of the ingredients in most air fresheners are toxic.

Air fresheners even contain VOCs that are hazardous. While they may not aggravate the average person with healthy lungs, air fresheners could aggravate symptoms in people with asthma, respiratory illness, bronchitis, or other chronic lung or breathing conditions. For that same smell without as much risk, consider wax melts or all-natural air fresheners that don’t contain hazardous ingredients.

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38. Canned Foods and Soda Can Liners

Canned foods are always good to have on hand in case of emergency. While it’s well known that improperly stored or sealed canned foods can cause botulism, the Center for Environmental Health recently tested a large sample of canned goods and found that around 40% contained BPA. BPA is the same toxin found in a lot of plastics.

Soda can liners contain so much BPA that they cause spikes after drinking a can of soda. 12 Tomatoes.

In addition to certain canned foods containing BPA or PVC plastic, there is BPA in the lining of aluminum soda cans. One study linked BPA in soda can liners to heightened blood pressure levels. Participants who drank soda out of a can had BPA levels measured in their urine before and after drinking. A single can increased BPA levels by 1600%.

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Swimming Pools

While most people use chlorine or other chemicals to keep germs at bay in their swimming pools, it’s still possible to be exposed to recreational water illnesses. These are usually caused by water droplets or aerosol caused by water splashing around being inhaled or swallowed by another person. This includes illnesses with diarrhea, swimmer’s ear, respiratory infections, and certain skin infections.

A dirty pool doesn’t always look like this. Shutterstock.

Regularly checking the chlorine and pH levels of your pool will create an environment that kills bacteria. While this is a good line of defense, you should also encourage people not to swim in your pool or hot tub if they are sick. Any type of illness can be spread, but those with diarrhea symptoms like E. coli are hard to kill in the pool.

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Air conditioners take humidity out of the air, as well as your skin and mucous membranes. OSF Healthcare.

Air Conditioning

Air conditioners have their purpose, particularly if you live somewhere hot where it gets 90-100 degrees or hotter in the summer. They work by pulling the humidity out of the room, cooling it, then releasing cold air back out of the air conditioner. Unfortunately, it also dries the air out in the room which can make dry eyes, dry skin, and dehydration worse.

Keeping your AC and filter clean also helps prevent issues from using the AC. Shutterstock.

Air conditioners also irritate the mucus membranes and can make allergies, respiratory illnesses, and asthma worse. Additionally, if they are not well maintained, then air conditioners can blow dust, debris, and mold spores into the air of your home. Cleaning your air conditioner regularly and only using it when necessary reduces some of these risks.

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Burning candle wicks releases small amounts of VOCs and particular matter into the air. Reddit.

Candles

As a general rule, any time that you burn something, there’s a risk of particulate matter being released into the air. While a lot of the myths about why candles are dangerous have been debunked, burning the wick does usually release particulate matter and VOCs. There can also be byproducts from burning the types of wax used to make a candle, though there are also a lot of eco-friendly options out there.

While there is some risk, burning candles doesn’t produce a lot of VOCs or particulate matter as soon as it is burned. A better alternative might be limiting how long you burn candles to an hour or two and avoiding them if you have allergies or asthma that might be aggravated by the smell. Also, be wary of burning any old candles that you have lying around. The CSPC did not ban lead-core wicks until 2003.

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Couch

The dangers of your living room couch go beyond living a sedentary lifestyle. To begin with, most couches are sprayed with flame-retardant chemicals and made from chemical-laden fabrics. Polyurethane foam used in some fillings can release toxins over time while adhesives used to bind wood together contain formaldehyde. Plus, if you spend a lot of time on your couch, sweat, dead skin cells, and dust all build up on the fabric over time.

Cleaning your couch regularly by washing or vacuuming the cushions will get rid of that build up. You should also avoid sitting on ripped upholstery that exposes you to polyurethane and formaldehyde or use a couch cover to keep your furniture in good shape. Finally, eliminating toxic chemicals by buying food made from natural materials like wool, feathers, leather, or wood also reduces exposure.

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Your favorite decanter could be leaching lead into your drink. Advanced Mixology.

Decanters

Crystal decanters have a beautiful appearance and it’s no surprise that people love using them for storing liquor or decorating their home. Unfortunately, many of these decanters reflect light so well because they are made from lead crystal, a material that contains about 24% lead oxide when it’s produced according to the restrictions in place by the European Union, which are also followed in the United States.

In recent years, the FDA issued a warning on lead crystal after a study found that after four months in a lead decanter, a sample of wine far exceeded the standards set for lead. Additionally, while lead does have a half-life around 36 days, consuming it too often at high levels causes weakness, anemia, and even kidney and brain damage. It’s also very dangerous for pregnant women and their unborn children.

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Many Americans don’t have access to clean water like they believe. Men’s Health.

Tap Water

According to a report issued in 2017, approximately 77 million Americans lived in an area where the entity in charge of their water supply violated at least one safety regulation. They came to this conclusion after investigating different facilities and water supply systems, finding the most violations in New Jersey, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Florida.

Old pipes can have lead in them that leach into drinking water. Shutterstock.

For people who drink tap water, testing your water supply for contaminants can give you peace of mind about what you are putting into your body. Additionally, while buying bottled water isn’t the most eco-friendly choice, there are other alternatives. Using a water filtration system, whether it’s a pitcher in your fridge or a filter that attaches to your tap, cleans your water before you drink it.

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Hot Tubs

Hot tubs are great for relaxing your muscles and can be even used for pain relief. Unfortunately, when hot tubs are not properly cleaned or maintained, they can harbor bacteria and make you sick. Hot tubs can also aggravate skin conditions for some people, especially if they stay in the hot tub for long periods of time. Surprisingly, this dries the skin out and causes itchiness.

An improperly cleaned hot tub can result in a rash like this. VeryWell.

The best indicator that a hot tub is properly cleaned is the water. It should be clear in color and free of debris and should not have an odor. The tub itself should also appear clean and feel smooth. Additionally, it also shouldn’t have a strong chlorine smell since adding too much chlorine at once indicates imbalanced levels or the presence of bacteria that needs high levels of chlorine.

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Razor Burn

Razor burn is characterized by a red rash that appears when you’re done shaving. It can be caused by an old razor, cool temperatures, not enough lubricant, a clogged razor, irritation of the skin or hair follicles, or any other number of problems. Razor burn may be painful, but it can also lead to infection if you have razor bumps that result. These are often ingrown hairs that could become infected with time or cause scarring.

The best way to prevent razor burn is to use good shaving practices, like using a sharp razor, exfoliating beforehand, and avoiding pulling the skin. You can treat razor burn using products like aloe vera gel to reduce redness and burning. Some other home remedies include apple cider vinegar, witch hazel, or a dilution of tea tree oil in water. Using a moisturizer on skin that isn’t broken can also help with itchiness after shaving.

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Light Bulbs

Did you know that your choice in light bulb could be damaging your skin? Certain types of energy-saving bulbs called CFL (compact fluorescent lights) slowly leak UV radiation over time. While this radiation isn’t a large, measurable amount, it is enough that it could damage your skin the same way as UV rays from the sun.

This means that spending a long time under energy-saving lightbulbs could have similar effects in the way it advances the aging process and the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. Applying a moisturizer with SPF protection in the morning could reduce the effects of any types of UV rays, including light bulbs.

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The ingredients list of your favorite pantry foods could be scary. Eat This.

Dangerous Pantry Items

You’d be surprised how many dangerous items are in your pantry. Easy breakfasts like cereal are full of processed ingredients and sugars, while comfort foods like soup have unprecedented levels of sodium. Another common pantry item is soybean oil, which is highly processed and much more dangerous than other oils. Artificially flavored pancake syrup is also full of high fructose corn syrup and caramel color, two additives that have been linked to health issues.

High levels of sodium and processed sugar are just a few dangerous ingredients. Shutterstock.

The snacks in your pantry are also dangerous. While most of us know that snacking isn’t healthy, there really isn’t anything wrong with eating foods you love in moderation. The problem is that when snacks are easily accessible and you sit down with chips, cookies, or ice cream in front of the TV, you’re likely to eat more. The condiments and dressings you add to otherwise healthy foods could also be adding calories.

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Dog Toys

Many dog breeds are energetic, particularly when they are young. One of the best ways to ensure your dog lives a long and healthy life is making time to play with them. While it might seem like your pup is ready and willing to play with anything, however, it’s important that you be sure you are choosing toys that are healthy for them to play with, too.

Even the wrong bone can be a choking hazard for your pup. Dog’s Time.

Some things that you should avoid are laser pointers, kid (or adult) toys or stuffed animals that have been repurposed, plastic dog bones, and other dangerous toys that have pieces that might break off. Laser pointers teach your dog to chase light, while other toys are choking hazards. You should also avoid cheaper toys made from plastic that might contain BPA or other toxins.

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Teflon flakes off and produces toxic fumes when heated to high temperatures. Shutterstock.

Teflon Cookware

Nonstick cookware is fairly popular, especially for cooking foods like eggs or cheese that seem to stick to almost everything. Unfortunately, Teflon manufacturers are also in hot water in recent years because of the contents of their non-stick coating. Even if it isn’t breaking away in flakes, the real danger comes from heating Teflon to high temperatures, which causes it to release fumes.

Teflon fumes cause flu like symptoms in people and can be deadly to pet birds. Eat This.

Teflon fumes are dangerous to everyone in the immediate area. They can cause Teflon flu in people, as well as symptoms like headache, fever, diarrhea, and more. Teflon fumes are also toxic to small animals, especially pet birds. It’s best to opt for a safer nonstick alternative like copper or ceramic, or at the very least avoid heating your nonstick pans to high temps.

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