15 common items with hidden health risks

You probably already know that many everyday things pose security risks. But you may not realise that other favourite products – ones that make our lives easier or allow us to live more healthfully – can also pose a health risk. “A number of common everyday household items that one might think are innocuous can become hazards,” says James H. Dickerson, PhD, chief scientific officer at Consumer Reports. You might be surprised to learn that the following helpful – or even healthful – items can actually be deadly if used incorrectly.

These germ killers have become staples of life during the coronavirus pandemic. “The active ingredient for most proper hand sanitisers is ethanol or isopropanol,” Dickerson explains. But with demand for hand sanitisers at an all-time high, some companies have begun manufacturing knockoffs using a different type of alcohol, called methanol. Dickerson says methanol can be lethal if too much is absorbed through the skin.

What’s more, even some perfectly legitimate hand sanitisers have become potentially hazardous by adding fruity or floral scents, making them appealing to children. “We’ve heard reports across the country of children drinking hand sanitiser,” he says. Frighteningly, the alcohol concentration can be even higher than in hard liquor and can poison a young child. To be safe, buy hand sanitisers from verified sources that will stand behind their product, and keep the product away from children or others who might be tempted to ingest it.

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These “cool mist” humidifiers have grown in popularity in recent years, thanks to their nearly silent operation and affordable price points. They’re great at making dry rooms more comfortable by turning water into mist – but they can pose considerable respiratory risks if not used properly. That’s because they aerosolise everything that’s in the water – from minerals in hard tap water (often seen as a white dust that lands on nearby objects) to mould and bacteria that may build up without routine cleaning. Dickerson recommends following any manufacturer instructions carefully, particularly if they advise using distilled or filtered water. He also recommends cleaning humidifiers frequently.

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There’s something about heavy, sturdy furniture that makes us feel like we’re buying quality products. But in fact, heavy and sturdy aren’t always the same thing. “You cannot look at a piece of furniture and tell if it’s going to be intrinsically stable under normal use,” Dickerson says. “It’s one of the biggest home hazards in terms of injury or death, he says, citing the many people who are injured by a piece of furniture falling over on them. Dickerson says Consumer Reports is actively working with manufacturers to design products with stability as a focus. In the meantime, he says, consider anchoring heavy pieces, such as dressers and bookshelves, to a wall to prevent accidental tipping.

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So-called “forever chemicals,” scientifically known as PFAs or perfluoroalkyl substances, are present in everything from reusable food storage and takeout containers to the liners on bottle caps and paper-based food packages, Dickerson says. Heating (or reheating) food in such containers is especially problematic. “As you increase the cooking temperature,” he explains, “the chemicals can leach from containers into the food.” These chemicals are also present in many nonstick pans, which is why you should never heat them to more than 260° C or use utensils that could scratch the coating and release the chemicals. Exposure to these forever chemicals – which never break down and accumulate in the body over time – may have detrimental health effects, such as low infant birth weight, thyroid problems, immune system issues, and may even contribute to cancer. You won’t be able to tell if the food packages you purchase contain PFAs, but you can resolve to use glass storage containers at home and never reheat food in plastic.

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Many people rely on backup power generators when their electricity goes out during a storm. But an average of 180 people die each year from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning due to improper use. “Portable generators should never be used inside your house” or your garage, says Dickerson. Instead, it should be placed at least 6 metres from your home and any neighbour’s home, with the exhaust pointed away from any dwellings. “If people have less than 6 metres between houses, point it toward the street,” he advises.

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The flat, circular batteries commonly found in everything from watches and hearing aids to TV remotes and video games pose a choking risk to small children and pets. Even worse, says Dickerson, is that once swallowed, the batteries are exposed to stomach acid, which breaks them down and releases toxic chemicals. This can lead to severe burns and other injuries in the digestive tract. In the first seven months of the pandemic, ER visits for swallowed batteries rose 93 percent among children ages five through nine. The best approach is to keep them completely out of reach of anyone who might be at risk for swallowing them. Some companies are also starting to add a bitter coating to reduce their appeal to kids.

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We’re all guilty of making certain common kitchen mistakes. But these handy tools, also known as stick blenders, can pose a danger to home cooks who attempt to scrape something off the blades while in use, or who accidentally turn the device on (usually with a button on the side that’s easy to trigger) while cleaning or changing blades. Those blades, however, are exceptionally sharp, and can make mincemeat of the user’s fingers, even severing nerves and tendons. If you must clean the blades, make sure the device is unplugged first.

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Collapsible clothing hampers are usually girded with wire frames tucked inside canvas or another sturdy fabric. Kids love to play in these makeshift tunnels, but those internal wire frames have been known to come loose, causing severe eye injuries. If you buy a collapsible hamper or tote, make sure kids are supervised when using them, and replace them at the earliest signs of fraying.

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Bright candy colours, a fun squishy texture and shiny packaging – what’s not for a kid to like? Unfortunately, many kids are drawn to these pods, and with dire consequences. Once the pods are exposed to saliva or even wet hands, they begin to dissolve and release their liquid. People who have swallowed them have died from poisoning and respiratory failure. It’s not just kids, though, who are at risk. Deaths among elderly people with dementia have also occurred. Some manufacturers have changed the packaging to look less appealing, and some have also added a bitter coating to deter accidental ingestion. If you use detergent pods, it’s best to keep them in a locked cabinet.