Health

7 Ordinary Things That Can Cause Cancer In Your Home

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1. The Couch

Many sofas, mattresses, and other cushioned furniture are treated with TDCIPP [Tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl)phosphate], which is a flame retardant known to cause cancer. According to one study, it’s also one of ten chemicals most frequently found in household dust. You can consider replacing cushioned furniture you purchased prior to 2013, and check furniture labels on any purchases.

2. The Curtains & Carpets

Cadmium which is a carcinogenic by-product of cigarette smoke could be lurking in your carpets and curtains in your house as they are soft surfaces. This can continue long after the scent dissipates.

3. The Refrigerator

According to cancer.org, carcinogenic PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl) can turn up in old appliances, fluorescent lighting fixtures, and electrical transformers. Of all PCBs ever produced, up to 70 percent are still in the environment.

4. Cleaning Products

Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen found at home in a variety of cleaning products, for example dishwashing liquids, fabric softeners, and carpet cleaners, paint, foam insulation, and on permanent press fabrics. Choose your cleaning products carefully to avoid these situations.

5. Chicken And Rice Dinner

Most people know arsenic is poisonous, but do you know that in smaller doses, it’s also a carcinogenic. Yet you can find it in foods you probably eat regularly—including chicken, rice, and certain fruit juices, as well as in de-greasing products, dyes, furniture wax, glues, lubricants, nylon, and paints. Check the labels on your household products; people following a gluten-free diet may be at particular risk of arsenic exposure.

6. The Insulation

Asbestos has been out of favor for decades, but you can still find it in the insulation of older homes, pre 1985. As the insulation eventually deteriorates, asbestos fibers become airborne. Since asbestos fibers stick to clothing and shoes, workers exposed to asbestos on the job can also bring asbestos into their homes.

7. The Granite Counter

Radon is formed naturally from the radioactive decay of uranium in rocks and soil. It raises the risk of lung cancer. You can be exposed to radon if you have a granite counter top. Consider having your home’s radon levels measured.

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