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<- Back to Household Chemicalpedia -> Garage Household Chemicals Guide
Garage Household Chemicals and Products Directory
Garages Are Often the Largest Repositories of Toxic Household Chemicals and Products
"New Car Smell" & Other Garage Poisons
Lower down this page is a list of Garage Household Chemicals and products commonly used throughout your home and often stored in the garage. Most of the household products found in the garage are full of hazardous substances that can contribute to serious indoor air pollution and environmental damage. If you have any of these products inside your house or garage I strongly recommend you read the label closely for storage, disposal, and usage instructions.
Ventillation and the best home air purifier can reduce volatile organic compounds (such as from paint) which results from areas in the home where many of these garage household chemicals are ultimately used. However, source reduction or ellimination (where practical) will always be the most effective method to reduce your exposure to these chemicals at home. If you must use them you should give serious consideration toward isolating the following products from your living spaces and areas adjacent to living spaces such as the garage.
Many homeowners don't realize that toxic fumes from such organic solvents as Xylene and Toluene from paints, other volatile organic compounds off-gased from vehicle interiors, Benzene from Gasoline, and carbon monoxide from vehicle exhaust may become very concentrated in an attached garage and can eventually diffuse into the adjacent living spaces. When doors are open or when atmospheric pressure changes, these toxic airborne chemical fumes can pass from the garage and into the home. Some houses have significant negative pressures inside as a result of the HVAC system or due to the "chimney effect" which can result in fumes from the garage being pulled indoors through walls, around doors, or from the shared attic space. Chemicals entering the home from attached garages have been implicated in many cases of Sick Building Syndrome and can greatly aggravate allergy symptoms. Therefore, the garage should be properly ventillated when possible, combustion engines should NEVER be operated for extended periods of time in the garage (even with the garage door open), and all household chemicals should be stored in an outside area which is completely detached from the home (such as a garden shed).
For Material Safety Data Sheet information for certain brands of products please read the product label to identify the specific chemical ingredients or the manufacturers contact information. Or you may consult our extensive Household Product Manufacturer Directory which has contact information for the 354 major manufacturers and lists showing which of over 6,000 household chemical products each makes.
How Healthy is the Air in Your Garage?
- Car or Small Engine Exhaust - Sources of carbon monoxide and combustion by-products. Remedy: Never leave vehicles, lawn mowers, snow mobiles, etc. running in the garage -- even with the garage door open.
- Paint, Solvents and Cleaning Supplies - May release harmful vapors. Remedy: Provide ventilation when using. Follow manufacturer's directions. Buy limited quantities. If products contain methylene chloride (e.g. paint strippers), use outdoors. Reseal containers well. Keep products in original labeled containers. Clean brushes and other materials outside.
- Pesticides/Fertilizers - Toxic yard and garden chemicals. Remedy: Use nonchemical methods when possible. Follow manufacturer's directions for mixing, applying, storage and use protective clothing. Mix or dilute outdoors. Provide ventilation when using indoors. Store products in original labeled container out of home. Remove shoes and clean hands and clothing to avoid spreading chemicals. Call EPA at 1-800-858-PEST for more information.
- Stored Fuels - e.g., gasoline, kerosene. Remedy: Buy limited quantities. Use properly labeled and well-sealed containers designed for fuels. Do not store inside home. Store in well-ventilated area.
- - Aerosol sprays (e.g., furniture polish, deodorant, and air freshener) contain an active ingredient and a liquid or gaseous propellant that is packed under at least 40 pounds of pressure per square inch.
These pressurized aerosol containers are explosive and may be flammable. The actual product propelled by the aerosol, such as some oven cleaners, can be corrosive or poisonous, therefore requiring great care.
Aerosol sprays should be used with care. The fine particles emitted from
aerosol sprays are easily breathed deeply into the lungs and quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Thus, a chemical that is harmless to your skin may become extremely
dangerous if inhaled as a mist.
- - The ingredients in all-purpose cleaners are a combination of detergents, grease cutting agents, and possibly
solvents and disinfectants.
These products may contain one or more of the following hazardous
ingredients: Ammonia, ethylene glycol monobutyl acetate, sodium
hypochlorite, and trisodium phosphate. Depending upon the ingredients
contained in the particular cleaner, they can be mildly to extremely
irritating to the skin, eyes, nose, and throat, and corrosive if swallowed.
Chronic irritation may occur from repeated use.
Do not mix ammonia-based cleaners with bleach-based cleaners. Hazardous fumes will result! Cleaners that contain phosphates present a
water pollution hazard.
- - Many aluminum cleaners contain Hydrofluoric acid which is extremely corrosive and toxic. Hydrofluoric acid is extremely dangerous and in high concentrations skin contact with it may even be LETHAL! Upon contact, it destroys the flesh down to the bone as the fluoride ion continues to act until it is neutralized by a calcium store. The pain from burns may be delayed for several minutes to several hours, depending upon concentration. During this time, the acid in the aluminum cleaner can burn deeply into the tissue, causing severe burns and possible damage to muscles, ligaments, and bone. Low concentrations in the eyes can cause intense irritation; high concentrations, immediate blindness.
- - The primary danger associated with ammunition is accidental discharge, especially when children of any age view ammunition as something to play with. For example, pounding on a bullet with a hammer to break it open and see what is inside or throwing ammunition into a fire can lead to accidental discharge.
- - Antifreeze is a syrupy liquid that is usually bright yellow or green and is the garage household chemicals which may cause the majority of cases of household chemical poisoning. It is used in radiators and windshield cleaners for cars and trucks to keep liquids from freezing. Antifreeze contains Ethylene Glycol which is poisonous when ingested. Ingestion may result in depression followed by respiratory and cardiac failure, kidney damage and brain damage. Manufacturers of antifreeze are required to clearly post dangers on the label and provide a childproof cap, which minimizes the danger of accidental ingestion by children. However, antifreeze when improperly disposed of can endanger the health of pets. Each year, thousands of dogs and cats are poisoned by discarded or leaking antifreeze. The sweet taste of antifreeze attracts pets who lap up puddles of antifreeze they find. To prevent this danger, wash down or absorb puddles of antifreeze with an absorbent material such as kitty litter and dispose of the absorbent in the trash.
- - Asbestos is a naturally occurring group of minerals
that are flexible, fire resistant, and virtually indestructible.
Many hundreds of products contain asbestos fibers.
Some general categories are insulation, asbestos cements,
fireproofing, fireproof clothing, floor tiles, pipes, brake
and clutch linings, pot holders, ironing board pads, hair
dryers, and textured paint. In the recent past, some uses
have been banned: spraying asbestos-containing materials
(1973); certain pipe coverings (1975); some patching
compounds and artificial fireplace logs (1977); spray-on
asbestos decorations (1978); and hair dryers containing
asbestos (1979).
In most products, asbestos is combined with a binding
material. However, if the tiny asbestos fibers do become
airborne and inhaled, they can remain in the lungs and
may cause severe health problems that do not appear
until many years later. There is no known safe exposure
level to asbestos. Asbestos toxicity surfaces only after a
long latent period. The respiratory tract is the usual target
organ. Asbestosis and asbestos-related cancers such as Mesothelioma
are the two main categories of asbestos disease.
- - In the paving and roofing trades, a tar or asphalt is applied in a hot liquid form that cools into a semi-solid
covering. Asphalt is a residue of petroleum refining. Tar
is produced by distillation of coal, oil, lignite, peat, or
wood. Inhalation of hot asphalt fumes can cause eye and
respiratory tract irritation, headaches, nausea, and
nervousness. Skin exposure to hot tar can cause serious
burns. Wear protective gloves.
- - Automobile, boats, and tractor batteries are wet cell
batteries which contain Lead and a solution of sulfuric
acid. When activated, the electrolyte solution in the
battery produces explosive gases which are easily
ignited. Manufacturers of batteries containing Sulfuric
Acid must use labels which warn consumers of the
dangers from battery acid and accumulated gases.
Sulfuric acid is extremely caustic. Fumes are strongly
irritating, and contact can cause burning and charring of
the skin; it is exceedingly dangerous to eyes. Lead is
poisonous in all forms and accumulates in our bodies
and in the environment.
- - Carbon monoxide is a colorless gas which is practically
odorless, tasteless, and non-irritating. Carbon monoxide
is always formed when a fuel containing carbon is inadequately
burned with poor ventilation. Kerosene, charcoal, coal,
wood stoves, and automobile exhaust fumes are common
sources of carbon monoxide poisoning. Natural gas in the
United States does not contain
carbon monoxide, but it may form if the gas is burned without adequate
air supplies.
Carbon monoxide starves the body and brain of
oxygen. Carbon monoxide poisoning produces symptoms
ranging from headache, dizziness, flushed skin, disorientation,
troubled thinking, abnormal reflexes, shortness of breath,
fainting, and convulsions, to coma and even death. Heart
problems are also aggravated by the presence of carbon
monoxide because the heart must pump harder. Children,
persons with respiratory illness or anemia, and the aged
may be particularly sensitive. Chronic exposure to low
carbon monoxide levels impairs judgement and increases
the time required to make decisions. Never leave vehicles, lawn mowers, snow mobiles, etc. running in the garage -- even with the garage door open. Many people died during hurricane Katrina and Rita due to carbon monoxide poisoning after running their gas powered generators indoors.
- - Glues, rubber cement, epoxy, and other adhesives
contain a solvent such as Xylene or Toluene which, when applied, evaporates out leaving the solid adhesive portion behind. Rubber
cement, epoxy, instant glues, model glues, and plastic
adhesives contains five dangerous solvents. Many adhesives
are extremely flammable. Some adhesives are skin and
lung irritants and allergy-sensitizers while others can
cause burns to skin and eyes. Many of the solvents used
in adhesives and glues have narcotic, possibly fatal,
effects when inhaled in high concentrations. Inhalation of
fumes from cured epoxy resins may result in coughing
and bronchial spasms for several days.
- - The typical paint mixture is 5-25% pigment and 75-95% solvent. The type of
pigment and solvent used largely defines the toxicity of the paint. Paints
may become hazardous if fumes are inhaled or if paint is ingested. Another
hazard associated with some paints is flammability. The label should state whether or not the paint you are using is flammable.
With the exception of latex paint, which has water as a solvent, solvents commonly used in paints include mineral spirits (naphtha), Xylene, Toluene, and other petroleum distillate solvents. These solvents can irritate your eyes, skin, and lungs. Inhaling paint fumes can result in headaches, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. Toxic fumes can accumulate
in closed spaces and areas with poor ventilation. Acute and chronic
symptoms include muscle weakness, liver and kidney damage, and
respiratory problems. Due to the high solvent content of oil-based paints
and varnishes, women should avoid using these products while pregnant.
- - Turpentine and mineral spirits are commonly used in thinning paints and varnishes. Both ingredients are flammable and toxic, though mineral
spirits are of lower toxicity. Mineral spirits, a petroleum distillate,
can be harmful through inhalation, skin and eye contact, and ingestion.
Contact and inhalation can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation,
dizziness, and dermatitis. Ingestion can induce central nervous system
depression. Damage to lungs may result if mineral spirits are swallowed
and then vomited.
Turpentine, a sticky mixture of resin and oil obtained from pine trees,
is an irritating substance that can cause tissue death as well as damage
to kidneys. Intoxication from vapors produces central nervous system
depression with possible symptoms of headache, nausea, confusion and
disturbed vision. Continued inhalation of vapors can cause a
predisposition to pneumonia and chronic kidney inflammation. Vapors
even in low concentrations can irritate eyes, nose, and throat.
- - There are a variety of different formulations for products that remove paint and varnish (also called paint
and varnish strippers). Most paint and varnish removers
contain organic solvents which are hazardous to human
health. Most paint and varnish related garage household chemicals are highly flammable. Some non-flammable products will produce a toxic gas when in contact with
flame. Paint and varnish removers may contain some of these hazardous ingredients: Acetone, Benzene,
isopropyl alcohol, methanol, methylene chloride,
petroleum distillates, Toluene, trichloroethane, and
Xylene. Although not presently used in paint and varnish
removers, Benzene, a known human carcinogen, was an
ingredient in older products.
Hazardous ingredients in paint and varnish removers
can harm your body through skin contact, skin absorption,
ingestion, and inhalation.
- - Plastic is made from fractions of natural gas or crude oil changed chemically
into solid form. There are two basic types of plastic: Thermosetting
and Thermoplastics. Thermosetting plastics are set to a permanent
shape and cannot be softened. These plastics are used primarily for multiple
use items, such as dishes and furniture. Thermoplastics are soft when
exposed to heat and pressure and harden when cooled. Thermoplastics are the
most common type of plastic and are used to make a variety of products.
Following is a list of some of the most common types of thermoplastics, along
with their recycling code # (the number that appears in the triangle on the
bottom), and their common uses.
#1 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE) - soft drink containers
#2 High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) - milk crates, milk jugs, beverage bottles, and soft plastic margarine tubs
#3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) - auto parts , inflatable toys, insulation, pipes, phonograph records, shampoo bottles, shower curtains, some food containers
#4 Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) - trash bags and other films
#5 Polypropylene - auto parts, housewares, pipes, screw-on caps, toys, yogurt and margarine tubs
#6 Polystyrene - hot food containers, packing materials, plastic utensils, wall tiles
BEWARE #7! Polycarbonate - This type plastic may contain the suspected endocrine disruptor and carcinogen know as Bisphenol-A. In 1995 the CDC found that Bisphenol-A is likely found in 95% of Americans' blood. This is particularly alarming since evidence is mounting in support of the theory that Bisphenol-A is a possible contributor to the rise in Prostate cancer over the last decade. Some examples of products made with polycarbonate plastics are milk containers, water bottles, baby bottles, pacifiers, sippy cups, toys, can liners, food storage containers, dental sealants, plastic eating utensils, and water pipes. No wonder Bisphenol-A is such a common blood contaminant in Americans and why California has already banned many products which may potentially release Bisphenol-A.
- - There are many chemicals used to balance, sanitize, and clean the water in
swimming pools (including hot tubs and spas). The following describes the
principal chemical products used to maintain pools.
Pool water is most comfortable when it is maintained at a pH between 7.2-7.6.
The pH scale runs from 1 to 14, where 1-6.9 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and 7.1-14
is alkaline. The pH is controlled by adding either acid or alkali products. An
acid, either muriatic acid (also known as hydrochloric acid) or sodium
bisulphate, is added to lower the pH. To raise the pH, an alkali, sodium
carbonate (also called soda ash) is added.
Pools use sanitizing chemicals to remove algae, harmful bacteria, dirt, germs,
and organic matter carried into the pool on people's bodies and by the wind.
These chemicals oxidize organic matter. Most typically a chlorine product is
used to sanitize the pool. Either a liquid or dry product is added; liquid
chlorine is usually a 10-15% solution of sodium hypochlorite and dry chlorine
is usually calcium hypochlorite. A stabilizer is added to these products to
reduce the quantity of chlorine dissipated by the sun.
Occasionally, algae will not be controlled by the chlorine sanitizer. A shock
treatment of a large amount of chlorine (superchlorination) or a cationic
detergent may be added to the water to kill the algae. Alkyl ammonium chlorides are common algacide ingredients.
Many of these pool chemicals are corrosive and are hazardous to human health
through skin contact splashed into the eye. Many of these chemicals, including
different types of chlorine, can react violently when mixed to produce toxic
gases, fire, or explode.
- - Be wary of products claiming to clean your septic tank.
Many of these products temporarily precipitate solid
giving the illusion of success, but actually they produce
solid bulk which is more difficult for bacteria and microorganisms
to break down. Many septic tank cleaners also
change the water's acidity, causing many bacteria to die,
Products containing sodium or potassium hydroxide
(lye) are highly caustic to humans. They also change the
acidity of the water and speed soil clogging. Septic tank
cleaners containing organic solvents such as trichloroethylene
should never be used because they are toxic, take a very
long time to break down in the environment, and have been
shown to contaminate the ground water.
Cleaners which claim that their "enzymes" will help septic tank digestion
have not been found to be effective Bacteria and microorganisms in your septic
tank produce their own enzymes and eat only as much as their own enzymes can
digest. If your septic tank seems sluggish or overwhelmed, flush a small amount
of soil down the drain to replenish the bacteria and microorganisms in your
septic tank. Each teaspoon of soil contains hundreds of microorganisms.
Use: Avoid septic tank cleaners containing
organic solvents. If you are using a septic tank cleaner that contains lye
products or sodium bisulfate, wear gloves, goggles, and a respirator with an
organic vapor cartridge to avoid fumes and splashes.
- - Smoke detectors are important for early detection of fires. There are two
types of smoke detectors: photoelectric, which detects only visible products
of combustion, and ionizing, which detects both the visible and invisible
products of combustion. Ionizing (or ion chamber) smoke detectors contain a
very small amount of radioactive material, Americium-241 (Am-241). Am-241 has
a half life of 458 years and emits alpha particles. The ionizing smoke
detector is constructed so that to gain access to the radioactive sections
would require the complete destruction of the smoke detector. The best way to
dispose of an ionizing smoke detector is to return it to the manufacturer. The
photoelectric smoke detector can be disposed of in the trash.
- - A solvent is any substance that dissolves another substance. For example, mineral spirits (a petroleum solvent) dissolves paint. Water, the most
common solvent, is an "inorganic" solvent because it does not contain carbon.
Many solvents used in the home are organic" solvents.
All organic solvents are hazardous! Some of the most common garage household chemicals are toxic because of the many volatile organic solvents they contain.
Organic solvents used in household products are hazardous and contain the
same ingredients as their industrial and commercial counterparts. Solvents
are used in many household products. Products containing almost 100% solvents
include paint thinner, furniture stripper, dry-cleaning fluid, spot remover,
degreaser, turpentine, and nail polish remover. Products that are composed
partially of solvents include furniture oil, glues, aerosol sprays, shoe care
products, rug cleaners, and oil-based paints. Solvents can be flammable, toxic,
or pose a serious health risk through skin absorption and inhalation. Some
health hazards occur immediately. Others, such as liver and kidney problems,
birth defects, and nervous disorders, occur slowly over time. For more information about paint solvents visit our complete guide to solvents.
- - Sulfuric acid, also known as oil of vitriol, hydrogen sulfate, or spirit of sulfur, is available in powder form and as a colorless, odorless, oily liquid. Beware - it is a highly corrosive liquid! Sulfuric acid is used as an electrolyte in wet cell batteries and as an ingredient in toilet bowl cleaners (sodium bisulfate). Direct contact can cause burning and charring of the skin and causes rapid injury to the mucous membranes. It is exceedingly dangerous to the eyes. Exposure to sulfuric acid mist and subsequent inhalation causes irritation of the respiratory tract and mucous membranes including the eyes. The mist also causes etching of tooth enamel. Ingestion results in serious burns to the mouth, esophagus, and stomach. Even dilute sulfuric acid can irritate the skin and mucous membranes and cause scarring of the face and eyelids and irreparable damage to the cornea, resulting in blindness.
Did you ever wonder why cutting onions causes burning eyes? Well it's because onions are naturally high in sulfur compounds which when released into the air by cutting allows the sulfur to combine with the water in your eyes producing a weak solution of sulfuric acid and thus the burning and tearing eyes.
- - Window and glass cleaner commonly contains isopropyl alcohol or Ammonia, water, and coloring. It may be mildly irritating to the eyes, skin, nose, and throat.
- - Creosote and inorganic arsenic compounds have been shown to cause cancer in humans, pentachlorophenol in lab animals. In addition, creosote (still used to treat railroad crossties or "sleepers") has been linked to genetic damage, inorganic arsenic compounds are related to both genetic damage and birth defects, and pentachlorophenol is associated with birth
defects and fetal toxicity. The Environmental Protection Agency strongly
suggests that homeowners leave work involving wood preservatives to
professionals. If you have a deck, tables, or other furniture that are treated
with one of these types of wood preservatives, EPA advises sealing it with at
least two coats of shellac or other sealant. Currently when creosote or
pentachlorophenol is used on wood intended for human contact, it must be
coated with shellac or another sealant.
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