1. Furniture This one's scary because you have furniture...everywhere. Unfortunately, a lot of upholstered or wood furnishings are produced with harmful chemicals that release into the air. Tables, chairs, consoles, or bed frames — particularly those made from plywood or composite wood — often have formaldehyde in them as an adhesive or coating. Upholstered fabrics and cushions are often treated with flame retardants and chemical dyes.
2. Cleaning Products It's important to note: this doesn't just entail cleaning sprays, solutions, and detergents. There are harmful pollutants in many air fresheners, deodorants, soaps, and shampoos, too. Known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the pollutants comprising these common household items easily evaporate, linger in the air, and can contribute to chronic lung issues, diabetes, and heart disease. 3. Home Repair Products You might not pull these products out for everyday use, but there are still a ton of potentially-dangerous materials stocked up in your utility closet or garage. Paints, paint thinners, and paint strippers are loaded with VOCs like xylene, ethyl acetate, and formaldehyde. What's scarier: you'll find these air-polluting, health-compromising toxins in glues and mending agents, too. So even if you're not planning on a total room refresh, the small, simple fixes you make here and there degrade air quality in what's meant to be your safest space.
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