The Healthy Homes and Building blog is a professional blog dedicated to discussing healthy homes and building issues. Topics include but are not limited to indoor air quality, asbestos, lead, dust mites, rodents, IPM, radon, second hand smoke, safety and PBCs in building materials(e.g. caulking, paint etc.) .

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Secrets to a Healthy Home

Many of us already know the secrets of keeping our homes safe. Check for radon, watch for lead poisoning, and beware of gas leaks. These tips can preserve the lives of your family. But as you keep your home free of toxins, be sure to keep an eye on what you bring into your house. What you and your children are wearing can actually be hazardous to your health.

Rayon is a fabric used in many styles of clothing. Rayon is used to make sweaters, skirts, dresses, Halloween costumes, pajamas, and robes. The fabric may seem harmless, but the truth is, wearing rayon can endanger the lives of you, your children, and your home. Rayon is actually extremely flammable. Reports claim that even when exposed to minimal heat, such as the burning of a cigarette, rayon textiles may and have burst into flame. Rayon’s burning rate is comparable to that of newspaper. An entire rayon skirt can burn in as little as 3 seconds. Protect your house from fire and your family from severe burns by monitoring the clothing that you buy.

Next is a toxin you may already be familiar with. Asbestos has been widely used in the United States and around the world in insulation, drywall, tiles, adhesives, car parts, and heating appliances because of its fire-retardant properties. When asbestos is disturbed, its fibers can be inhaled or ingested. These fibers can also collect on clothes, shoes, and hair. Inhaling or ingesting asbestos may lead to a deadly cancer, mesothelioma. Because symptoms are subtle and latent for 20-50 years after asbestos exposure, mesothelioma diagnosis is often delayed. If you or a family member works near asbestos, it is important to monitor clothing that enters the home. Be cautious of mesothelioma causes like asbestos.

Finally, make sure to wash new clothes before wearing them. A toxin known as formaldehyde is often used in the manufacturing of clothes. Formaldehyde is said to keep clothes stain and wrinkle free. Besides aggravating the skin of more sensitive buyers, formaldehyde is known as a carcinogen. Even if your skin is not sensitive enough for visible signs of aggravation to show, prolonged exposure to formaldehyde increases the risk of cancer. Unlike asbestos, which may remain on clothing after washing, traces of formaldehyde are generally removed after a good soak. Even if you’re excited about wearing your brand new outfit, be sure to reduce your risk of cancer by washing your clothing before wearing it.

Keeping your home free of toxins and health hazards includes keeping your clothes safe. Check labels for flammable rayon clothing, make sure that you or loved ones aren’t bringing asbestos fibers home on their clothes, and wash new outfits to be rid of cancer-causing formaldehyde. After all, a healthy home is a happy one.

Eric Bailey
Bailey@MesotheliomaDiagnosis.net
http://www.MesotheliomaDiagnosis.net

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