Everyday household items can quickly turn dangerous  when used by the wrong person or used in the wrong way. These are the substances in our home that can cause harm when swallowed, inhaled or touched. They include detergents, cleaning products, toiletries, garden chemicals, medicines and other common household products.

Everyday household items can quickly turn dangerous  when used by the wrong person or used in the wrong way. These are the substances in our home that can cause harm when swallowed, inhaled or touched. They include detergents, cleaning products, toiletries, garden chemicals, medicines and other common household products.
It is very necessary to be aware of these potentially dangerous chemicals. Here is a shortlist of common household items that may harm us. There is also mention of storage and handling of these substances safely.
Cosmetics and Bathroom Products
Deodorants
Have formaldehyde and swallowing of this substance causes burning pain, blood-stained vomiting and painful stools.
Depilatory
A chemical used to remove unwanted hair. Contains alkalis that cause abdominal pain, blurred vision and breathing difficulty.
Lipsticks
Have coal tar dyes, lead and other heavy metals which can cause burns in mouth, throat and stomach.
Nail polish
Contains toluene and butyl acetate. Swallowing or breathing in of the nail polish causes eye irritation, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Perfumes and aftershave
Have a high percentage of alcohol that causes burns in oral cavity and stomach on swallowing. On inhalation, causes difficulty in breathing.
Shampoos and Conditioners
Contain sodium lauryl sulphate that causes eye irritations and skin rashes as an allergic reaction.
Toiletries and house hold cleaners
Bathroom, shower and tile cleaners contain sodium bicarbonate and borax that can cause necrosis of the  mouth, throat and stomach if accidentally ingested. 
Detergents
The powerful cleaning products contain strong acids and alkalis which cause burns in the food pipe, vomiting and low blood pressure.
Disinfectants
Have poisonous ingredient phenol which acts locally as a corrosive and remotely as a narcotic poison. It may cause necrosis of the part applied to.
Moth balls
Contain naphthalene which on ingestion cause headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and muscular twitching.
Bed room products
Air Fresheners
Emit over hundred different chemicals, including volatile organic compounds which on inhalation cause shortness of breath, nausea and eye irritation.
Cigarette butts
Contain nicotine that naturally occurs in large amounts in the leaves of tobacco plants. Signs of poisoning are abdominal pain and cramps, restlessness, muscular twitching and rapid breathing.
Paints
Contain acrylic- styrene polymer that have harmful effects like breathing difficulty, severe burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips and tongue.
Button batteries
These are flat, disc - like batteries, found in many household devices including mini remote controls, small calculators and watches. When a child swallows it, the saliva triggers an electrical current, causing a chemical reaction that can severely burn the esophagus.
 Kitchen Products
Kerosene
If kerosene gets into someone’s lungs, it makes hard to take breathing. It can cause severe lung inflammation.
Matches
Contain antimony sulphide and potassium chlorate which on swallowing cause burns in oral cavity and stomach.
Insecticides and pesticides
Rat and insect poisons have zinc/ aluminium phosphide and barium carbonate that causes vomiting with retching, tremors and drowsiness.
Roach powder
Have sodium fluoride which exerts a strong irritant action on the mucous membrane. Symptoms are abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea and muscular cramps.
Mosquito repellents
Prepared from chemicals like malathion and pyrethrins. Topical use of these repellents can cause skin irritation and inhalation of their fumes results in cough and choking. 
Medical products
Medicines are the most common cause of poisoning in young children. Almost all medicines can be poisonous if they are not taken properly.
Antiseptics
Like povidone and iodine, when swallowed act as corrosives.
Cough syrups
Contain codeine, which can cause vomiting, light-headedness and drowsiness. Serious side effects may include breathing difficulties and addiction.
Anti-hypertensive drugs
Cause breathing trouble, light-headedness and drowsiness when taken in excess.
Pain killers
Cause gastric pain, irritability and vomiting and ulceration when overdosed.
Antipyretics
Such as paracetamol when taken 20 tablets of 500 mg continuously causes liver damage and kidney failure.
Anti-diabetics
Overdose causes hypoglycaemia, stomach pain and nausea.
Safety tips
•    Keep items in their original package, bottle or container to prevent mix-ups.
•    Teach children not to touch, taste or smell a product unless given by an adult.
•    Store house hold cleaners up, away and out of reach of children.
•    Always follow directions for use on the product's label.
•    Store household cleaners separately from food and drink.
•    Keep small battery operated devices out of reach of children.
•    Place a piece of duct tape over controller or devices to secure batteries.
Home treatment
•    On skin exposure, remove by washing the area thoroughly.
•    If swallowed, immediately give the water or milk or some demulcent like banana, butter, ghee, egg white, boiled rice, honey or starch water.
•    If the chemical has entered inside the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.
•    If breathed in, immediately move the person  to fresh air.
•    On ingestion of acidic poisons, use of weak solutions of non- carbonate alkalis like calcium oxide and magnesium oxide is recommended. Non flatulent antacids can also be used.
•    After first aid treatment, seek medicinal attention immediately.
Contraindications
•    Don’t give water or milk if the patient is having symptoms such as vomiting or convulsions as they are hard to swallow and  may deteriorate the condition. 
•    Don’t give butter or ghee if the patient has swallowed naphthalene balls.
•    Dilution or neutralization and induced vomiting are contraindicated in alkali exposure. 

Dr.  Binu Sharma
Associate Professor,
Department of Agad tantra
Dayanand Ayurvedic College, 
Mahatma Hansraj Marg, Jalandhar-8
98726 59493