household proucts

8/2/2019 Household Proucts

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House Hold Products Toxicity

DPCC

2012

Ministr

yofHealth-

Easte

rnProvince


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Ministry of health

Regional Poison Control Center- Dammam

Land Line: 03/8155464

Hotline: 0553880087

Email address: [email protected]

Visit our web site:www.alsehha.gov.sa/dpcc
http://www.alsehha.gov.sa/dpcchttp://www.alsehha.gov.sa/dpcchttp://www.alsehha.gov.sa/dpcchttp://www.alsehha.gov.sa/dpcc


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House hold product toxicity

There are plenty of pretty scary poisons located all around the house. Many household products contain pesticide

or toxic ingredients that can be harmful to humans, animals, or the environment. Even so, we use these products to

clean or maintain our home. Or they are useful because they control disease-causing organisms, insects, weeds, or

other pests. The label is your guide to using products safely and effectively.

Each container should be closely checked for warning labels. The POISON symbol is also a warning for adults to

use such products discriminately, with extreme caution and only when there is not a safe alternative available.

In the next pages you will find some of them and how to use them safely.


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Drain Cleaners:

What is it?

These types of cleaners are used to unclog drains in sinks or in the bathroom. These cleaners are usually stored

in the kitchen or bathroom cabinets.

What's in it?

The main ingredients that cause the drain to become unclogged are lye and sulfuric acid.

What health and safety precautions do you need to think about with drain cleaners?

1. Lye and sulfuric acid have dangerous fumes.2. It can cause skin burns and in some cases blindness if they come in contact with your eyes.3. They can cause death if they are swallowed.

4. Because of the toxicity of these products, only an adult should use them. Remind your parents to always "Read the Label First"to know how to properly use these products and for safety information.

5. Always use protective gloves and wear goggles when using these products.6. Make sure that when these cleaners are used, there is good air circulation in the room.


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Mold and Mildew Removers:

What is it?

Have you seen black spots on your shower curtain? Have you seen black, brown or pinkish slimy stuff

growing between bathroom tiles, the corner area where your tub meets the walls or under your bathtub

mat? These spots and slimes are molds and mildews. Molds and mildews are kinds of fungi.

What's a fungus?

A fungus is a plant that has no leaves, flowers, roots. A mushroom is an example of a fungus.

Household products that contain mold and mildew removers usually come as a liquid in a spray container.

Be sure your parents know what household products you are using. They can make sure you use them

safely.

What's in it?

The pesticide chemicals found in mold removers are chlorine and alkyl ammonium chlorides. These

pesticides are known as fungicides.

What health and safety things do you need to think about with mold and mildew removers?

1. The chemicals in mold and mildew removers can be very caustic. That is, these cleaners can be corrosive to objects andharmful to humans.

2. It's a good idea to wear latex dishwashing gloves to help protect your skin when using these products.3. If you get some on your skin wash it off immediately.4. Cleaners with mold and mildew removers may also cause breathing problems and if fumes are inhaled or if swallowed, they

will burn your throat.

5. Because mold and mildew removers can be harmful, your exposure to them is important to know.


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Antibacterial Cleaner:

What is it?

Cleaners are used to remove dirt. Antibacterial cleaners remove dirt and kill bacteria. Bacteria areorganisms too small to see with just your eyes. Some bacteria cause diseases or make you sick.

Antibacterial cleaners come in a spray can or pump bottle container. They are commonly used in thekitchen to clean things that come in contact with food, like cutting boards and counter tops.

Keeping these areas clean will help prevent harmful bacteria from contaminating your food. It isespecially important to clean areas that come in contact with raw meats.

Raw meats can also carry bacteria. Use an antibacterial kitchen cleaner or wash the area with hotsoapy water.

If helping to clean the kitchen is one of your chores or jobs around the house, you may be usingantibacterial cleaners to do the job. If so, you need to be sure to always "Read the Label First" to know how to

properly use these products and for safety information. Also, be sure your parents know what household

products you are using. They can make sure you use them safely.

What's in it?

Antibacterial cleaners usually contain water, a fragrance, a surfactant, and a pesticide. The surfactant breaks up the dirt, the pesticide

kills the bacteria, and the fragrance makes it smell good and the water holds the cleaner together. In antibacterial cleaners the

pesticides are commonly quaternary ammonium or phenolic chemicals. They are known as antimicrobial pesticides.

What health and safety things do you need to think about with antibacterial cleaners?

1. Antibacterial cleaners are very irritating to your eyes and skin and will burn your throat.2. It's a good idea to wear latex dishwashing gloves to help protect your skin when using these cleaners.3. If you get some on the cleaner on your skin or in your eyes, wash it off immediately.4. Because antibacterial cleaners can be harmful, your exposure to them is important to know.


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Toilet Cleaners:

What is it?

Toilet cleaners clean and disinfect, or kill germs, in toilets. You probably wouldn't think thesecleaners have pesticides in them, but they do. The pesticide is the disinfectant. This type of pesticide is

known as an antimicrobial pesticide.

If cleaning the bathroom is one of the chores you do around your house, you may be usingtoilet cleaners to do the job. If so, you need to be sure to always "Read the Label First" to know how

to properly use these products and for safety information.

Also, be sure your parents know what household products you are using. They can make sureyou use them safely.What's in it?

The pesticide chemicals usually found in toilet cleaners are sodium hypochlorite or bleach.

What health and safety things do you need to think about when using toilet cleaners?

Toilet bowl cleaners also have other chemicals in them too, like hydrochloric acid. Never mix a toilet bowl cleaner with any other

household or cleaning products. Doing so can result in poisonous gasses being released and cause very serious breathing problems.

Always be sure when cleaning your bathrooms that the room has plenty of ventilation.

What health and safety things do you need to think about with toilet cleaners?

1. Leave the door open and use the exhaust fan, if you have one.2. Most disinfectant cleaners are very irritating to your eyes and skin and will burn your throat.3. It's a good idea to wear latex dishwashing gloves to help protect your skin from splashes when using toilet cleaners.4. If you splash some on your skin wash it off immediately. Because toilet cleaners can be harmful, your exposure to them is

important to know.


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Air Fresheners:

What is it?

These products are used to freshen air in various places throughout the home including kitchens,

bathrooms, bedrooms, and living rooms. Air fresheners are usually stored in the kitchen, bathroom,

and laundry room.

What's in it?

There are four basic ingredients in air fresheners: formaldehyde, petroleum distillates,

p- dichlorobenzene, and aerosol propellants.

What health and safety precautions do you need to think about when using air fresheners?

Air fresheners are usually highly flammable and also strong irritants to eyes, skin, and throat. Additionally, the solid fresheners usually cause death if eaten by people or pets. Please use precautions when using these products.

You also need to be sure to always "Read the Label First" to know how to properly use these products and for safetyinformation.

Don't use them near open flames like candles, gas stoves. Use only in a well-ventilated area. Baking soda, which is not toxic, can also be used to freshen the air in your home.


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Moth Balls

What is it?

Moth balls are round and white and look like big marbles. They have a verystrong, unusual smell. They don't smell very good.

Moth balls are used as a repellent. They keep insects that eat natural fibers like wool and paper, away from clothes

or books that may be stored in your closet, attic or basement. Moths and silverfish are

examples of insects that do damage to things in storage.

The type of repellant in moth balls can also be shaped like a flake, a thick diskor like a bar of soap.

Your parents are the ones who would pack things up and put moth balls in them.But you may come across these products if you get into cardboard boxes, trunks, or closet bags where things are stored in your

house. Remind you parents to always "Read the Label First" to know how to properly use these products and for safety

information.

What's in it?

The pesticides in moth balls are chemicals known as naphthalene or para-dichlorobenzene.

What health and safety things do you need to think about with moth balls?

1. Coming in contact with moth balls can cause an irritation, like a burning feeling to your eyes and skin.2. You can get quite sick if you eat or breathe the fumes from moth balls, especially those containing naphthalene.3. How sick you could get depends on your exposure to them.4. As a general rule, if you get any chemicals on your skin or in your eyes, wash it off with lots of water right away.


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Total-Release Foggers:

What is it?

Total release foggers are commonly used to get rid of fleas, ticks, and roaches. Foggers may be used ifyour home becomes infested (full of), fleas, ticks, and roaches.

How can your home get infested? Maybe you moved into an apartment and didn't know it already hadlots of roaches. Or maybe some fleas jumped off your dog or cat while they were in the house.

If you went away on vacation or hadn't vacuumed for a long while, their eggs hatched and producedmore fleas! If you haven't heard the name "total release fogger," you have probably heard of this type of

product being called "bombs" or "bug bombs." Once foggers start releasing the spray they keep spraying untilthe container is empty.

There is no way to turn it off. They work by "filling the air" with pesticide spray. Because of the wayfoggers and "bombs" work, only an adult should use them. Remind your parents to always "Read the Label

First" to know how to safely use these products.

What's in it?

The pesticide chemicals in foggers are pyrethrins, permethrin, and methoprene. These chemicals are known as insecticides.

What health and safety things do you need to think about with foggers or "bombs?"

For these products to do their job they need to be used in an enclosed area. That means all windows and doors for the room orhouse must be closed.

Foggers send their fine mist everywhere, so it's not safe to stay in your house even when the doors are closed in the roomwhere the fogger is being used.

Mist can move from one room to another by seeping under doors and through air vents. So for everyone's safety, all people andanimals must be out of the house when a fogger or "bug bomb" is being used.


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Also, toys should be taken out of the room or put away. No food, plates, cups, silverware or things you cook with should beleft out anywhere. The tops of tables and counters should be cleaned before you use bug bombs.

After the fogger has finished doing its job, the house has to be aired out before people can spend time inside again. Open thewindows and doors, and use fans to help air out the house faster.

If one of these products is being used in your home, be sure to ask your parents how long you have to stay out of the house.Another important thing to know is that fogger spray can be flammable.

A fire or explosion can happen if they are not used according to the directions. If you come in contact with fogger or "bug bomb spray, you might have trouble breathing or feel a burning in your eyes and

on your skin. How you are affected and how sick you might get depends on your exposure to the pesticide.

So, its very important to make sure you dont get exposed to fogger fumes!


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Rug Or Carpet Cleaners:

What is it?

These products are used to clean spots off of rugs and carpets. These cleaners are usually stored in the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room.

What's in it?

The basic ingredients of carpet cleaners are perchloroethylene (used in dry cleaning) and naphthalene.

What health and safety precautions do you have to think about when using rug/carpet cleaners?

1. The fumes given off by rug cleaners can cause cancer, damage your liver, and have been known tocause dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, loss of appetite and disorientation.

2. If you need to use these products, you need to be sure to always "Read the Label First" to know howto properly use these products and for safety information.

3. Be sure to use these products in well-ventilated area and try not to breathe the fumes.4. As a general rule, if you get any chemicals on your skin or in your eyes, wash it off with lots of water

right away.


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Furniture Polish:

What is it?

Furniture polishes are used to get the dust and fingerprints off of furniture and to protect the wood fromwater.

Furniture polish may come as liquid, paste or in an aerosol. Each will contain chemicals that help in theapplication of the wax or oil to the furniture.

What's in it?

Furniture cleaners that are made for wood may contain petroleum distillates and oil of cedar.

What health and safety precautions do you need to think about with furniture polish?

1. The chemicals in furniture polish may irritate your skin, eyes, and respiratory tract (that is your throat,lungs and wind pipe).

2. If ingested, furniture polish can cause nausea, vomiting, and medical help should be sought.3. Before using these products, you need to be sure to always "Read the Label First" to know how to

properly use these products and for safety information.

4. Make sure there is good air circulation in the room in which you use these products, that is have a window fully open.5. Using a fan in the window blowing out provides even better ventilation.6. Keep the bottles out of the reach of small children when you are using it.7. Because some products may look drinkable, like orange soda or milk, children can be accidentally poisoned if they drink

them.


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Flea Collars:

What is it?

Maybe you noticed an extra collar that your dog was wearing. Flea collars are putaround the necks of cats and dogs to keep fleas and ticks away.

The collar is made so that the pesticide is "molded into" or part of the collar. Itdiffuses or "leaks out" of the collar slowly for several months to protect your pet.

Perhaps you or your parents put the collar on your pet. Be sure that your pet is nottoo young to wear a flea collar.

They should not be used on young puppies or kittens. Make sure, too, that the collarfits your pet properly.

Don't tuck the extra length back into the collar either. It could come loose and stick out. You could also be exposing your petto a higher level of pesticide than is recommended.

Always "Read the Label First" to find out how to properly use flea collars, how long they last and for safety information.What's in it?

In flea collars the pesticide part are chemicals like fipronil, pyrethrins, permethrin, and methoprene. These chemicals are known as

insecticides.

What health and safety things do you need to think about with flea collars?

1. Because the pesticide comes out of the collar you need to wash your hands thoroughly after touching them or petting your dogor cat.

2. You don't want any pesticides from the collar to stay on your skin.3. If you rubbed your eyes the pesticides from the collar could get in your eyes.4. They could also get in your mouth if you put your hands to your mouth or picked up something to eat. This could be harmful.5. Whether or not you get sick depends on your exposure to the pesticide.


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Dishwashing Detergent:

What is it?

These products are detergents used to wash dishes primarily in the kitchen. These detergents are divided into two categories: automatic dishwashing detergents

and hand dishwashing detergents.

These cleaners are usually kept in the kitchen.What's in it?

Both of these contain cleaning agents with "cationic", "anionic", or "non-ionic" in their names. The

main ingredient usually used in these detergents is phosphate.

What health and safety precautions do you need to think about when using dishwashing

detergent?

1. Automatic dishwashing detergents have been known to produce skin irritations orburns. They are poisonous if swallowed.

2. Hand dishwashing detergents are milder than automatic dishwashing detergents.3. If swallowed, it may cause irritation to the mouth and throat, and nausea but not death.4. They are generally safe to people and to the environment.5. If you need to use these products, you need to be sure to always "Read the Label First" to know how to properly use these

products and for safety information.

6. Keep them away from small children to minimize the risk of accidental poisoning.


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Oven Cleaners:

What is it?

Oven cleaners are used to help break up the baked on food stuck to the inside of the oven. Oven cleaners are

usually kept in the kitchen.

What's in it?

The basic ingredient of oven cleaners is lye (either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide).

What health and safety precautions do you have to think about when using oven cleaners?

1. Lye is extremely corrosive, and can burn your skin and eyes. It is usually fatal if swallowed.2. Because of the toxicity of these products, only an adult should use them.3. Remind your parents to always "Read the Label First" to know how to properly use these products

and safety information.

4. Always wear an apron, gloves, and safety goggles and do not breathe the fumes.5. Make sure there is plenty of fresh air and ventilation when using these products.6.

Non-toxic oven cleaners without lye are available, it is much better to use them.


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Insect Sprays:

What is it?

Insect sprays are used to get rid of ants, bees, flies, roaches, spiders, wasps and many other insects - evenlice. Insect sprays are pesticides known as insecticides.

There are many different kinds of insecticides. The kind to use depends on the type of insect and whereyou want to use it. Read the product label to find out.

Not all insecticides can be used in your house. Some can only be used outside. Some can be used on yourdog, cat or parakeet - even your pet goat if you have one. Others can only be used on things like bedding, rugs,

lawns or plants.

Insecticides used around your home usually come in the form of liquids, sprays or powders. Sometimesthey are mixed with other products that are used around your house. Sometimes they are mixed with other

pesticides. For example a fertilizer for your grass may have an insecticide in it. It could even have both an

insecticide and an herbicide (weed killer) in it.

What's in it?

Examples of pesticide chemicals commonly found in insecticides are permethrin, diazinon, propoxur, and chlorpyrifos.

What health and safety things do you need to think about with insecticides?

1. When you use an insecticide, especially indoors, make sure it doesn't get on food or things that come in contact with food likedish towels, dishes, silverware or counter tops.

2. Insecticides can come in a spray can, bottle or container. Some insecticides that you buy from the store have to be mixed withwater first before they can be used.


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3. Be sure that you and your parents always "Read the Label First" to know how to properly use these products and for safetyinformation.

4. Insecticides can hurt your eyes.5. They can make you really sick if you breathe their fumes, get some in your mouth or on your skin and you don't wash it off

right away.

6. They can also be fatal. How you are affected depends on your exposure.


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All-Purpose Cleaner:

What is it?

An All-purpose cleaner is a kind of cleaner which can be used for many different kinds of clean-upjobs around the house. All-purpose cleaners are used to clean windows, mop floors, or to clean kitchen and

other appliances in your house.

All-purpose cleaners are usually kept in the kitchen, but they can also be found in other parts of thehouse such as the bathroom, basement, or garage.

What's in it?

All-purpose cleaners may use many different kinds of ingredients, such as detergents, grease-cutting agents,

solvents, and disinfectants.

All-purpose cleaners can contain hazardous chemicals such as:

Ammonia Ethylene glycol monobuytl acetate Sodium hypochlorite Trisodium phosphate

If you "Read the Label First", it should tell you if any of these chemicals are part of the all-purpose cleaner used in your home.


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What health and safety precautions do you have to think about when using all-purpose cleaners?

1. Depending upon the ingredients used, all-purpose cleaners can irritate the skin, eyes, nose, and throat.2.

They can be highly poisonous if swallowed.

3. Some of these chemicals have a sweet smell which attracts animals and which can poison them, too.When using all-purpose cleaners, follow these safety steps:

Wear rubber gloves to protect your skin Be sure that there is good air circulation in the room. Open several windows or keep a fan running. NEVER mix two cleaners of different kinds together, especially if one contains ammonia and the other contains chlorine. This

can produce a gas called chloramine, and breathing its fumes could be fatal.


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Window or Glass Cleaners:

What is it?

These cleaners are used to clean windows throughout the house, glass tables, mirrors, and screens of TVs

and computers. These cleaners are usually kept in the kitchen or bathroom.

What's in it?

The basic ingredients of window/glass cleaners are ammonia and isopropanol.

What health and safety precautions do you have to think about when using window/glass cleaners?

1. These products may be irritating to the eyes, skin, nose, and throat.2. If swallowed, they may cause drowsiness, unconsciousness, or death.3. If you need to use these products, you need to be sure to always "Read the Label First" to know

how to properly use these products and for safety information.

4. Always wear glove to use these products and use in a well-ventilated area.


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House Plant:

The leaves or sap from some plants can be poisonous to animals and humans. Poisonous plants don't

always cause death, but they can make you very sick or cause you to have a severe reaction to them.Here are a few examples of poisonous houseplants:

Mums: leaves and stalks are poisonous. Common English Ivy: leaves are poisonous. Dumb cane, Giant Dumb cane, Spotted Dumb cane: all parts are poisonous.

If these plants are in your house make sure your family knows that parts of the plant are poisonous.

Keep them away from places where kids or pets could get into them.


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Baits for Ant, Cockroaches and Crickets:

What is it?

Insect baits are used to kill ants, cockroaches, and crickets inside yourhome.

Baits work by attracting the insect to eat a food that contains aninsecticide. An insecticide is a pesticide that kills insects.

For insect baits to work, areas where food is stored, prepared or eaten need to be kept clean. Because, if there are other foodsaround that the insect likes better, or finds first, it will probably not eat the bait at all.

How fast a bait works depends on several things. It depends on the kind of pesticide in the bait, whether the insect likes thetaste of the bait and whether there is other food around for the insect to eat instead.

You may have seen insect bait containers on counter tops, in cabinets, hidden behind stoves or refrigerators or on the floor nearcracks or crevices where insects go in and out.

They are usually square or round with a flat top, and about half an inch high. Some baits aren't in a container at all. They canbe tablets or gels that are put out for insects like cockroaches to eat.

Your parents can decide the best location to put an insects bait so that it will work well. Remind them to always "Read theLabel First" to know how to properly use these products and for safety information.

What's in it?

The insecticides commonly found in insect baits include abarmectin, propoxur, trichlorfon, sulfluramid, chlorpyrifos and boric acid.


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What health and safety things do you need to think about with insect baits?

1. Since the majority of insect baits are enclosed in containers it is not likely you will be exposed to the pesticides inside them.2. But if you find them, leave them alone. Do not move them or open them or put them in your mouth.3. Keep your pets away from them too.4. Let your parents know you found them.5. If you should touch one, wash your hands with plenty of soap and water to be sure that none of the pesticides that insects might

have carried out of the container, got on your skin.

6. Remember to never put anything in your mouth unless you know for sure what it is.


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Ministry of health

Regional Poison Control Center- Dammam

Land Line: 03/8155464

Hotline: 0553880087

Email address: [email protected]

Visit our web site:www.alsehha.gov.sa/dpcc
http://www.alsehha.gov.sa/dpcchttp://www.alsehha.gov.sa/dpcchttp://www.alsehha.gov.sa/dpcchttp://www.alsehha.gov.sa/dpcc


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