Garage, Garden, Patio, Utility Closet, Hobby Room

The Utility Closet

In this area a number of products are likely to contain toxic ingredients: carpet cleaner, room deodorizer, laundry softener, laundry detergent, anti-cling sheets, mold and mildew cleaner, mothballs, and spot remover all usually contain irritant or toxic substances.

Here are some toxic ingredients to avoid:

Perchloroethylene or 1-1-1 trichloroethane solvents (in spot removers and carpet cleaners): can cause liver and kidney damage if ingested; perchloroethylene is an animal carcinogen and suspected human carcinogen;

Naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene (in mothballs): naphthalene is a suspected human carcinogen that may damage eyes, blood, liver, kidneys, skin, and the central nervous system; paradichlorobenzene can harm the central nervous system, liver, and kidneys;

Hydrochloric acid or sodium acid sulfate (in toilet bowl cleaner): can either burn the skin or cause vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach burns if swallowed; also can cause blindness if inadvertently splashed in the eyes;

Residues from fabric softeners, as well as the fragrances commonly used in them, can be irritating to susceptible people;

Possible ingredients of spray starch (aside from the starch) include formaldehyde, phenol, and pentachlorophenol; in addition, any aerosolized particle, including cornstarch, may irritate the lungs.

The Hobby Room

Although legislation controlling many of the dangerous ingredients in hobby materials has recently been passed, exposure to certain art materials remains a health risk.

Dangerous chemicals and metals include:

Lead in ceramic glazes, stained-glass materials, and many pigments;

Cadmium in silver solders, pigments, ceramic glazes, and fluxes;

Chromium in paint pigments and ceramic colors;

Manganese dioxide in ceramic colors and some brown oil and acrylic paint pigments;

Cobalt in some blue oil and acrylic paint pigments;

Formaldehyde as a preservative in many acrylic paints and photographic products;

Aromatic hydrocarbons in paint and varnish removers, aerosol sprays, permanent markers, etc.;

Chlorinated hydrocarbons (solvents) in ink, varnish and paint removers, rubber cement, aerosol sprays;

Petroleum distillates (solvents) in paint and rubber cement thinners, spray adhesives, silk-screen inks;

Glycol ethers and acetates in photography products, lacquer thinners, paints, and aerosol sprays.

There are some nontoxic choices that can be made when buying art or craft supplies, but because some techniques require certain materials, minimizing exposure may be the best alternative.

In painting and print making, ready-mixed water-based paints or inks can be used.  If you must be exposed to paint dust use a toxic dust respirator approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).  Ventilate the space thoroughly whenever using any kind of solvents, whether in painting or in lithography, intaglio, or photoetching.  Solvents also should be avoided while pregnant.

Enamels are usually lead-based and can contain other toxic metals such as cadmium and nickel. Use lead-free enamels whenever possible and make sure kilns are vented outside.

For pottery as well, outside vented kilns are important, as is a careful choice of materials – most potters know to avoid lead glazes and lead frits, but many don’t know that flint, feldspars, fluorspar, and some compounds containing barium, lithium, manganese, or nickel can also be toxic.  Children should avoid the pottery studio, as they are more highly susceptible to the toxins used in pottery than are adults.

Photography presents a number of toxic hazards that are difficult to avoid.  Minimize exposure to photo chemicals by using gloves, mixing chemicals in a mixing box with holes in the sides for gloved hands, and providing adequate ventilation.

Tagged as: storage and work