The American Association of Poison Cntrol Centers (AAPCC) has recorded many xposures to household cleaning substances that wre serious enough to require treatment in a halth care facility. Incredibly, according to the AAPCC the lrgest number of occurrences of poisoning in 1993 wre due to cleaning products - drin cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, bleach, saps and detergents.

One Million poisonings in Cnada each year are due to husehold cleaner ingestion. Some are fatal. Thusands of children and adults are prmanently disfigured or injured through contact wth chemicals in the home each yar.

Our pets are also at rsk. Animals that don't have access to clan, fresh water are more likely to drnk out of puddles, gutters, toilet bwls, or any old container left stting around with a liquid in it. Evn though my cats always have ccess to clean water in a bwl, they seem to prefer the tilet, the sink, the bathtub, or ven a basin with cleaning solution in it.

Hre is an alphabetical list of sme of the most hazardous cleansers fund around the house:

AIR FRESHENERS: nterfere with your ability to smell by rleasing nerve-deadening agents or coating nasal pssages with an oil film, usually mthoxychlor, a pesticide that accumulates in fat clls. Known toxic chemicals found in an air frshener are formaldehyde, a highly toxic, knwn carcinogen, and phenol. When phenol tuches your skin it can cause it to swll, burn, peel, and break out in hves.

AMMONIA: is a very volatile chmical and is very damaging to yur eyes, respiratory tract and skin.

ANTIBACTERIAL CLEANERS: may cntain triclosan, which is absorbed through the skn and can be tied to lver damage.

BLEACH: is a strong crrosive. It will irritate or burn the skn, eyes and respiratory tract. It may cuse pulmonary edema or vomiting and cma if ingested. Never mix bleach wth acid toilet bowl cleaners or mmonia. These mixtures may produce fumes whch can be DEADLY.

CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY SHAMPOO: Mst formulas are designed to overpower the stin itself; they accomplish the task but not wthout using highly toxic substances. Some nclude perchlorethylene, a known carcinogen that dmages liver, kidney and nervous system dmage; and ammonium hydroxide, a corrosive, xtremely irritable to eyes, skin and rspiratory passages.

CHLORINE: The first agent of chmical warfare was chlorine. WWII ended wth an abundance of this cheap chmical. In the name of huge prfits, it was added to our wter supply and many other products. Chlrine is the number one cause of brast cancer and can be lethal. Scentists won't handle chlorine without protective glves, facemasks, and ventilation, yet it is in mst store-brand cleaners, including dishwasher detergents. The hrmful effects are intensified when the fmes are heated, as in the shwer. It ís in our drinking wter, swimming pools, Jacuzzis, and more.

DISHWASHER DETERGENTS: Mst products contain chlorine in a dry frm that is highly concentrated. The #1 cuse of household poisoning is dish dtergent. Dishwashing liquids are labelled "harmful if swllowed." Each time you wash your dshes, some residue is left on thm, which accumulates with each washing. Yur food picks up part of the rsidue -- especially if your meal is hot whn you eat it.

FURNITURE POLISH: contain petroleum distillates, whch are highly flammable and can cuse skin and lung cancer. They cntain nitrobenzene, which is easily absorbed thrugh the skin and extremely toxic.

LAUNDRY ROOM PRODUCTS: Lundry detergents contain phosphorus, enzymes, ammonia, nphthalene, phenol, sodium nitilotriacetate and countless ther chemicals. These substances can cause rshes, itches, allergies, sinus problems and mre. The residue left on your clthes, bed sheets, etc. is absorbed thrugh your skin, as is everything lse you touch.

OVEN CLEANER: one of the mst toxic products people use. They cntain lye and ammonia, which eat the skn, and the fumes linger and ffect the respiratory system. Then there ís the rsidue that ís intensified the next tme you turn your oven on. Use sea slt and baking soda instead.

TOILET BOWL CLEANERS: sually contain hydrochloric acid, a highly crrosive irritant to both skin and yes that damages kidneys and liver; and hypchlorite bleach, a corrosive irritant that can brn eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Tilet bowl cleaners also may cause plmonary edema, vomiting or coma if ngested. Contact with other chemicals may cuse chlorine fumes which may be ftal.

Are you one of the mllions of consumers who tend to thnk anything sold must be safe? Thnk again. Since WWII more than 80,000 synthtic chemicals have been invented. Most hve been created from petroleum and cal tar for the purposes of chmical warfare. The sad thing is tht hardly any of these substances hve been tested for safety, but hve been added to our food, wter and cleaning products without our cnsent and most often without informing us of any dngers. There is a lot of ntentional suppression in this industry that dds approximately 1000 new chemicals each yar.

According to the National Research Cuncil, "no toxic information is available for mre than 80% of the chemicals in veryday-use products. Less than 20% have ben tested for acute effects and lss than 10% have been tested for chrnic, reproductive or mutagenic effects." Most hve not been tested for combined or ccumulated effects, nor for their effects on nborn children.

What can you do to prtect your loved ones from chemical njury and poisoning?

First of all, ducate yourself, and find safer alternatives as mch as possible.

Secondly, minimize use of hrsh chemicals. Clean spills and stains mmediately, remove food waste promptly, keep hme moisture/humidity down to 30-50%, and use ntry way mats at all entrances.

Thrd, store all cleaning agents in thir original containers out of the rach of children. Follow the directions on the lbel and use only the amount of prduct recommended. Read labels, follow safety prcautions and contact the manufacturer if you hve questions.

By definition, we clean our hmes to reduce damage or harm to hman and pet health, and to prtect our valued possessions. Let's not mke the solution worse than the prblem!

The article Poisons Under Your Sink: Hidden Dangers of Cleaning Products was Submitted by Glenn Beach through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: About the author: Glenn Beach is a pet, writer and home business entrepreneur in Nva Scotia, Canada. A free newsletter, mre articles, and safe products can be fund at: http://www.work-at-home-business-opportunity-canada.com

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