372 A Healthy Home
Toxics in furniture and fabrics
Some carpets, curtains, clothing, and furniture made
with fabrics are made with toxic chemicals. Some of
these chemicals, called BFRs (brominated
flame retardants), prevent fabrics
from catching fire or wearing out
quickly. However, they can be
harmful to our health when
our skin is in contact with
them for long periods, when
we breathe dust that carries
them, or when they burn and
we breathe the fumes. (To find
out more about these chemicals and
ways to reduce harm from them, see
Chapters 16 and 20.)
Children, and also household pets, spend a lot of
time on carpeting and furniture, and can develop
health problems if these contain toxic chemicals.
Home cleaning products
Many cleaning products are made with toxic chemicals that make people sick.
When these toxic products are breathed in,
swallowed, or absorbed through the skin,
they can cause health problems right away
or illnesses that may appear years later,
such as cancer.
The labels on most products do not say
if they are toxic, or how to protect yourself.
Some labels sometimes say “caution” or
“keep out of the reach of children.” That is
a good sign you may want to change to a
different product. But lack of a warning on
the label does not mean you should not be
careful.
Usually, if a product smells very strong
and makes your eyes water, your chest hurt,
Some common home cleaning
products are harmful to health.
or creates a bad taste in your mouth, it is
toxic. The best way to get rid of the health risks from chemicals used in the
home is to safely get rid of the chemicals (see page 410) and use safer cleaning
products. Often, cleaning with soap and water is just as good, safer, and less
costly than using harmful products.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012