Hazardous Household Products
| Product type | Possible ingredients | Potential hazards |
| Air freshener and deodorizer | Formaldehyde | Toxic; carcinogen; irritant to eyes, nose, throat, and skin; may cause nausea, headaches, nosebleeds, dizziness, memory loss, and shortness of breath. |
| Bleach | Sodium hypochlorite | Corrosive, irritates or burns skin, eyes, respiratory tract; may cause pulmonary edema or vomiting and coma if ingested; contact with other chemicals may cause chlorine fumes. |
| Disinfectant | Sodium hypochlorite | Corrosive; irritates or burns skin, eyes; may cause pulmonary edema or vomiting and coma if ingested. |
| Phenols | Flammable; very toxic; respiratory, circulatory, or cardiac damage. | |
| Ammonia | Vapor irritating to eyes, respiratory tract, and skin; possible chronic irritation. | |
| Drain Cleaner | Sodium or potassium hydroxide (lye) | Caustic; irritant; inhibits reflexes; burns to skin, eyes; poisonous if swallowed due to severe tissue damage. |
| Hydrochloric acid | Corrosive; irritant; damage to kidney, liver, and digestive system. | |
| Trichloroethane | Irritant to nose and eyes; central nervous system depression; liver and kidney damage if ingested. | |
| Flea powder | Carbaryl | Very toxic; interferes with human nervous system; may cause skin, respiratory system, cardiovascular system damage. |
| Dichlorophene | Skin irritation; may damage liver, kidney, spleen, and central nervous system. | |
| Chlordane and other chlorinated hydrocarbons | Very slow biodegradation; accumulates in food chain; may damage eyes, lungs, liver, kidneys, and skin. | |
| Floor cleaner wax | Diethylene glycol | Toxic; causes central nervous system depression and kidney, liver lesions. |
| Petroleum solvents | Highly flammable; associated with skin and lung cancer; irritant to skin, eyes, nose, throat, lungs. | |
| Ammonia | Vapor irritation to eyes, respiratory tract, and skin; possible chronic irritation. | |
| Furniture polish | Petroleum distillates or mineral spirits | Highly flammable; moderately toxic; associated with skin and lung cancer; irritant to skin, eyes, nose, throat, lungs; entry into lungs may cause pulmonary edema. |
| Oven cleaner | Sodium or potassium hydroxide (lye) | Caustic; irritant; inhibits reflexes; burns to skin, eyes; poisonous if swallowed due to severe tissue damage. |
| Paint thinner | Chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons | Slow decomposition; liver and kidney damage. |
| Esters | Toxicity varies with specific chemical; causes eye, nose, and throat irritation and anesthesia. | |
| Alcohols | Volatile and flammable; eye, nose, and throat irritation. | |
| Chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons | Flammable; toxic; accumulate in food chain. | |
| Ketones | Flammable; toxicity varies with specific chemical; may cause respiratory ailments. | |
| Paint | Aromatic hydrocarbon thinners | Flammable; skin irritant; benzene is a carcinogen; possible liver and kidney damage. |
| Mineral spirits | Highly flammable; skin, eye, nose, throat, lung irritant; very high air concentrations may cause unconsciousness, death. | |
| Spot remover | Perchlorethylene or trichloroethane | Slow decomposition; liver and kidney damage; perchlorethylene is suspected carcinogen. |
| Ammonium hydroxide | Corrosive; vapor extremely irritable to skin, eyes, and respiratory passages; ingestion causes tissue burns. | |
| Sodium hypochlorite | Corrosive; irritates skin, eyes, respiratory tract; may cause pulmonary edema and skin burns. | |
| Toilet bowl cleaner | Sodium acid sulfate or oxalate or hypochloric acid | Corrosive; burns from skin contact or inhalation; ingestion may be fatal. |
| Chlorinated phenols | Flammable; very toxic; respiratory, circulatory, or cardiac damage. | |
| Window cleaner | Diethylene glycol | Toxic; causes central nervous system depression and degenerative lesions in liver and kidneys. |
| Ammonia | Vapor irritating to eyes, respiratory tract, and skin; possible chronic irritation. | |
| Wood stain/varnish | Mineral spirits, gasoline | Highly flammable; associated with skin and lung cancer; irritant to skin, eyes, nose, throat, lungs; entry into lungs may cause fatal pulmonary edema. |
| Methyl and ethyl alcohol | Flammable; damage to eyes, skin, central nervous system. | |
| Benzene | Flammable; carcinogen; accumulates in fat, bone marrow, liver tissues. | |
| Lead | Damage to digestive, genitourinary, neuro-muscular and central nervous system; anemia and brain damage. | |
| Antifreeze | Ethylene glycol | Very toxic, 3 ounces can be fatal to adult; damage to cardiovascular system, blood, skin, and kidneys. |
| Methanol | Moderately toxic; ingestion may cause coma, respiratory damage. | |
| Car wax, polish | Petroleum distillates | Associated with and lung cancer; irritant to skin, eyes, nose, lungs; entry into lungs may cause fatal pulmonary edema. |
| Motor oil/gasoline | Petroleum hydrocarbons (benzene) | Highly flammable; associated with skin and lung cancer; irritant to skin, eyes, nose, throat, lungs; pulmonary edema; benzene is a carcinogen. |
| Lead | Damage to digestive, genitourinary, neuro-muscular, and central nervous system; anemia and brain damage. |
Chart by Dr. Frances C. Graham, Extension Housing Specialist Mississippi State University
Written by Dr. Frances C. Graham, Extension Housing Specialist Mississippi State University
