Help Yourself to a Healthy Home

Table of Contents

?

You want to take good care of your family. You try to eat healthy foods. You take your children to the doctor for regular checkups. You try your best to protect your family 

from accidents and illness. You want to live in a safe neighborhood and home.

But did you know your home might have hidden dangers to your children’s 

health? Ask yourself: 

• Is the air in your home clean and healthy?

• Do your children have breathing problems, like asthma? 

• Is someone in your home allergic to mold?

• Do you know the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning?

• Is there lead anywhere in your home?

• Is your tap water safe to drink?

• Do you have household products with chemicals in them that can make you sick?

• Do you use bug spray or other products to keep away pests?

• Do you keep poisons where your children can reach them?

The answers to questions like these will help you learn if your home is safe and 

healthy. This booklet will make it easier to answer these and other important 

questions about your home and how you live in it. It will also give you ideas 

about how to protect your children’s health. It is up to you to make sure your 

home is a healthy home, but there are lots of places to go for help.

Introduction 2-5

Indoor Air Quality 6-10

Asthma & Allergies 11-16

Mold & Moisture 17-22

Carbon Monoxide 23-28

Lead 29-32

Drinking Water 33-37

Hazardous Household Products 38-41

Pesticides 42-47

Home Safety .................................... 48-54

Index .................................................... 55
FACT

Some of the most serious health problems for children may start at home. This 

booklet explains some of these health concerns and what you can do about them.

Indoor Air Quality

Asthma & Allergies 

-2-

Allergies and asthma are health problems that 

have a lot to do with the air you breathe. You 

and your children spend a lot of time at home, 

so the air inside needs to be clean. Does 

someone you live with smoke? Do you have 

pets? Is your basement damp? These may cause 

or add to breathing problems. To learn more 

about asthma and allergies, see page 11.

Mold & Moisture

Other health and safety problems may come 

from the air in your home too. Too much 

dampness causes mold to grow. Some mold 

is very harmful and some can make allergies 

or asthma worse. See page 17 to find out more 

about mold.

Why Should You Be Concerned?

Is the air in your home healthy? The air 

inside can be more harmful to your family’s 

health than the air outdoors. Air can be 

unhealthy if it has too many pollutants. Indoor 

air pollutants can be lots of things—from oven 

cleaner to cigarette smoke to mold. It is not 

always easy to tell if your home has unhealthy 

air. You may notice bad smells or see smoke, but 

you cannot see or smell other dangers, like carbon

monoxide or radon. This chapter will help you 

learn if your home has healthy air. See page 6.

The number of children with asthma

has doubled in the past 10 years.

1 in 15 children under 18 years of 

age has asthma.

Most people spend over 90% of their time indoors. FACT
-3-

If they are not working right, ovens and heaters 

may cause a deadly gas called carbon monoxide

to build up inside your home. You cannot see or 

smell this danger, but you can help keep your 

loved ones safe from carbon monoxide poisoning. See page 23 to learn more about how to protect 

your family from carbon monoxide. 

Carbon Monoxide

Is your drinking water safe? Do you know 

where your drinking water comes from? If it 

comes from your own well, you need to make 

sure it is safe to drink. Have your water tested 

every year to make sure it does not have chemicals or other pollutants in it that can make your 

family sick. There are things you can do to take 

care of your well and keep the water clean. See 

page 35 for ideas.

 You may get your drinking water from a 

water company or utility. They always test the 

water before they pipe it to you to make sure it 

is safe. You can ask the company or utility for 

a report on what the tests found. Even if it is 

o.k. at the water utility, water can still become 

unsafe after it comes into your home. Look at 

page 33 to see if your water is safe to drink.

Drinking Water

FACT 95% of people living in rural 

areas use private wells for their 

drinking water.

Lead

FACT 1 in 40 American children has too 

much lead in his/her body.

Can your children be poisoned by lead in your 

home? Some house paint and water pipes contain lead. This metal can poison your children. 

Most problems with lead come from old paint or 

lead dust. Lead was also in gasoline and got into 

the soil and air from car exhaust. It’s not used in 

these ways any more. There’s still plenty of lead 

around though.

 Lead can poison your children if they get it 

into their mouths or breathe it in from the air. 

If a pregnant woman gets lead in her body, it 

can harm her unborn baby.

Lead poisoning can be a serious problem for 

young children. It can cause problems with learning, growth, and behavior that last a lifetime.

Even small amounts of lead can harm children.

Turn to page 29 to find out about lead poisoning in 

your home.
What harmful products do you have in your 

home? Some products can harm your family’s 

health if you do not use them in the right way. 

Common chemicals like bleach, rat poison, 

paint strippers, and drain cleaners can be 

dangerous. Children can poison themselves 

if they get into products like these. Even very 

small amounts of some chemicals can cause 

health problems if you touch them or breathe 

them in. Remember—if you spray or pump 

something, it goes right into the air. When 

you and your family breathe, those chemicals 

go into your bodies. See page 38 to learn more 

about how to use, store, and dispose of household 

products.

Do you use pesticides in your home? Almost 

every household uses pesticides. Bug spray, flea 

powder, rat poison, and garden weed killer are 

all types of pesticides. They have chemicals in 

them that kill pests. This also means they may 

harm you and your family. If you do not use 

them safely, some pesticides may cause serious health problems—poisoning, birth defects, 

nerve damage, and even cancer. 

 Your children can come into contact with 

pesticides in many ways. You can take simple 

steps to protect them from pesticides. See page 

42 to see if you are using pesticides safely!

-4-

Did you know that your chances of getting 

hurt at home are much higher than they are 

at work or school? The leading causes of death 

in the home are falls, drowning, fires, poisoning, suffocation, choking, and guns. Very 

young children and older adults are the people 

most likely to get hurt at home. It’s important 

to keep people’s age in mind when thinking 

about home safety. 

Look at page 48 to find out if your home is a 

safe place to live and how to make it even safer.

Hazardous Household Products

Pesticides

Home Safety

FACT Thousands of children die each year 

from chemicals stored and used 

improperly in the home.

FACT Nearly one-half of households with a 

child under age five had pesticides 

stored within reach of children.

FACT Each year, accidents in the home 

hurt over six and a half 

million people.
-5-

Everyone needs a healthy home. But there are 

special reasons to think about children: 

• Children’s bodies are still growing. Their 

 young brains, livers, and other organs are 

 more likely to be harmed by chemicals 

 and other dangers than those of adults. If 

 children get sick, it may be harder for them 

 to get well because their immune systems 

 are still developing.

• For their size, children eat more food, 

 drink more water, and breathe more air 

 than adults do. When they get lead in 

 their bodies or breathe in harmful gases, 

 they get a bigger dose than adults would.

• Children play and crawl on the ground. 

 That means they are closer to many things 

 that might cause health problems, like 

 dust and chemicals. Babies and young 

 children also put most everything in their 

mouths—things that might have chemicals 

 or lead dust on them. 

Children depend on adults to make 

their homes safe!

Why Focus on Children?

How to use this booklet...

This booklet asks questions about your home and how you live in it. By answeringthem, you can find out if your home is healthy or if you need to make some changes. 

There are nine chapters in this booklet. Every chapter gives information about a topic, 

asks questions about it, and gives you simple Action Steps to protect your children’s 

health. At the end of each chapter, you will find out where to get more help.

It’s up to you—Help Yourself to a Healthy Home!
-6-

Most people spend at least half of their lives 

inside their homes. The air inside can 

be more harmful to your family’s health 

than the air outdoors. Is the air in your home safe to 

breathe?

It is not always easy to tell if your home has poor air 

quality. You may notice bad smells or see smoke, but 

you cannot see or smell other dangers, like carbon 

monoxide or radon. This chapter and those on asthma 

and allergies, mold, and carbon monoxide will help 

you ask the right questions to find out if the air inside 

your home is healthy and safe. They will also give you 

ideas about how to fix any problems you might find.

Asthma and Allergies

If someone in your home has health problems or is 

ill, polluted indoor air can make them feel worse. For 

example, asthma is a lung disease that affects a growing 

number of children. Indoor air pollution can make 

it worse. Insects and other pests can also be a real problem for people with asthma or allergies. For example, 

cockroach and dust mite droppings cause asthma 

attacks in some people. Pesticides can help fight these 

pests but they can be dangerous. See page 44 for more 

information about using bug spray and other pesticides 

safely. See page 11 to find out about making your home 

healthier for people with asthma or allergies.

Mold

Mold grows in wet or damp places. It often smells 

musty. Many people are allergic to mold. Some kinds 

of mold are toxic, and coming into contact with large 

amounts of mold may cause health problems. Talk to 

a doctor if you think mold is causing health problems 

for you or your family. See page 17 to learn more about 

how to control mold in your home. 

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that can come from 

appliances that burn gas, oil, coal, or wood, and are not 

working as they should. Car exhaust also has carbon 

monoxide. You cannot see, taste or smell carbon monoxide. See page 23 for more information on how to protect 

your family from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Other Indoor Air Problems

Radon is another gas. It can get into some homes 

from the ground below them. You cannot see, taste, 

or smell radon. Radon is found all over the United 

States. Radon can cause lung cancer. In fact, it is the 

second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. If you 

smoke and your home has high levels of radon, your 

risk of lung cancer is especially high.

Indoor Air Quality

Should You Be Concerned?

The air in your home 

FACTS

can be unhealthy if 

it has too many 

pollutants in it. To 

cut down on indoor 

air pollution, learn 

where it comes from. 

Take good care of 

your home to keep it 

healthy!

Children can spend up 

to 90% of their time 

indoors. For their size, 

children breathe up to 

twice as much air as 

adults. That means 

children are at greater 

risk for health problems that come from 

indoor air pollution.

-6-

Indoor Air Quality
-7-

Indoor Air Quality

Sometimes indoor air pollution comes 

from what people do in their home. 

• Tobacco smoking causes cancer and other major 

health problems. It’s unsafe for children to be around 

smokers. Second-hand or environmental tobacco 

smoke can raise children’s risk of ear infections and 

breathing problems. It can trigger asthma attacks, too.

• Many families have pets. However, furry pets 

cause problems for some people. Pets can make 

asthma and allergies act up, especially if you 

keep them in sleeping areas. 

• Hobbies and home projects sometimes 

involve sanding, painting, welding, or 

using solvent chemicals, like varnish or 

paint strippers. (A solvent is a chemical 

that can dissolve something else. 

Solvents are usually liquid.) Home 

projects can pollute the air with dust 

or harmful chemicals.

Sometimes indoor air pollution 

comes from what people have 

in their homes.

• Some household products, especially 

those with solvents, can pollute the 

air if you don’t use them in the right 

way. See page 38 for more information 

about household products 

• New furniture, carpets, and building 

products may give off chemicals that 

were used in their making. Some of these chemicals 

can harm people, especially children.

• If your home was built before 1978, the paint may 

 have lead in it. Lead is very dangerous for young 

 children. See page 29 to learn about protecting 

 your children from lead poisoning

There are simple, but important steps you can take 

to find out what is causing poor air quality. The 

questions on the next page can help you find 

problems around your home. Page 9 will give you ideas 

of what to do. Look at the chapters on asthma and 

allergies, mold, and carbon monoxide to learn more 

about indoor air problems. Remember, making your 

home a safer, healthier place to live may mean taking 

several steps.

Combustion appliances are one possible 

source of air pollution.
-8-

Indoor Air Quality

Your Family’s Health

• Does anyone in your family 

 have asthma or allergies?

• Does a family 

 member notice 

 burning eyes, 

 coughing, or 

 sneezing that 

 happens most 

 often while at home?

• Does anyone in your home have chronic bronchitis 

or another lung disease?

Radon

• Have you ever tested your home for radon?

• Do any of your neighbors have problems with 

radon gas? If so, you might also have a radon problem.

Living in a Healthy Home

• Do some areas in your home smell damp or musty? 

• Have you seen cockroaches in your home?

• Do you know how to safely run and take 

 care of your fuel-burning appliances?

• Do you allow smoking in your 

home?

• Do you have furry pets in your 

 home? In the bedrooms?

• Do you read the label on 

 household products, and follow the 

 directions for using them safely?

• Do you open windows or turn on fans 

when doing hobbies 

or projects that make 

dust or odors?

• Do you try to do 

dusty or smelly 

projects outdoors?

• Do you choose

furniture, carpet, 

and building products that are made 

with non-toxic chemicals and materials? 

These are sometimes called green building products. 

• Does your home ever smell musty, damp, smoky, 

 or like chemicals?

• Does your home seem stuffy or stale? Can you 

 smell cooking odors the next day?

• Do your bathroom and kitchen have exhaust 

 fans—do you use them?

? Questions to Ask

-8-
-9- -9-

Indoor Air Quality

Be sure to check the Action Steps in the chapters on asthma and allergies, mold, 

and carbon monoxide. You will find good suggestions for cutting down on pollution in your 

home and making the air healthier.

Test Your Home for Radon

You can buy low cost radon test kits 

at hardware or home supply stores. 

Or call your local or state health department for more information.

Living in a Healthy Home

• Do not smoke in your home or car. 

Never smoke near your children.

• Pay attention to housekeeping. Taking 

 care of food and spills right away 

 keeps bugs and pests away. A clean 

 home is a healthier home.

• Open windows or use 

 fans to let in fresh air 

 whenever someone 

 uses chemicals 

 in the home or 

 garage.

• Ask the sales- 

 person to unroll 

 new carpet 

 and let it air 

 out for at 

 least one 

 day 

 before 

 

 bringing it into your home. Put in 

 carpet during a season when you can open 

 windows for several days afterwards. Vacuum 

 old carpet well before you remove it to 

keep down dust.

• Let new furniture and building 

 materials air out for a few days 

 before bringing them inside. Before 

 buying new things for your home, 

ask for products made with nontoxic chemicals and materials. 

Sometimes non-toxic or 

green building products cost 

more money. You need to 

decide if the cost is worth 

it to protect the 

health of your family.

• Keep pets out of bed- 

 rooms and living 

 areas.

ACTION STEPS
-10-

When In Doubt, Check It Out!

✆

-10-

• US Environmental Protection Agency Indoor Air 

 Quality Home Page—www.epa.gov/iaq

• Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse

 (IAQ INFO) 800/438-4318 (Monday to Friday, 

 9:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time) or email: 

 iaqinfo@aol.com

• National Radon Information Hotline 

 800/SOS RADON (800/767-7236)

• The National Consumer Federation’s Radon 

 Website—www.radonfixit.org

• National Lead Information Center 800/424-LEAD 

 (800/424-5323)

• National Hispanic Indoor Air Quality Hotline 

 800/SALUD-12 (800/725-8312), Monday to Friday, 

 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time

• American Lung Association. Contact your local 

 organization, call 800/LUNG-USA (800/586-4872) 

 or visit the web at www.lungusa.org

• Contact Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes 

 at 406/994-3451 or www.healthyindoorair.org

• Home*A*Syst: An Environmental Risk Assessment 

 Guide for the Home contains information about 

 indoor air quality and other healthy home topics. 

 608/262-0024 or www.uwex.edu/homeasyst

Indoor Air Quality

Notes

This chapter was written by Kathleen Parrott, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. ©2002 University of Wisconsin Extension. All rights reserved.
-11-

More than eight million children in the 

United States have a disease called asthma. 

Asthma is a leading reason that children 

miss school or end up in the hospital. Asthma makes it 

hard for people to breathe. Sometimes people even die 

from asthma. This disease has no cure yet, but it can 

be controlled. 

Another 40 to 50 million people have allergies. Allergies 

can also make it hard for people to breathe by causing 

an asthma attack. An allergy is an unusual reaction to 

something, like a food or a plant, which is normally 

harmless. Common signs of allergies are a stuffy or 

runny nose, itching, or a rash. This section will help 

you ask the right questions to find out how to make 

your home a safer, healthier place for people with 

asthma or allergies.

What Happens During an Asthma Attack?

Asthma flare-ups are called asthma attacks. During an 

attack, the breathing tubes in your lungs, called bronchi

and bronchioles, get smaller. During an asthma attack:

• The breathing tubes in your lungs swell up

• The muscles around these tubes tighten

• The tubes make large amounts of a thick fluid 

 called mucus

You cannot catch asthma. It does run in families 

though. If someone in your family has it, you or 

your children may too. The number of asthma cases 

is growing, and more people die from it every year. 

These deaths do not need to happen.

Warning Signs of an Asthma Attack:

• Tightness in the chest 

• Shortness of breath 

• Wheezing

• Coughing

People with asthma who learn to spot the early signs 

of an attack can take medicine right away. This may 

make the attack less severe.

Asthma & Allergies

Should You Be Concerned?

-11-

Asthma & Allergies

FACT

If someone is having a severe 

asthma attack, get him or her to a hospital emergency room right away. Some signs 

of a severe attack:

• The person’s asthma rescue or inhaler

medicine doesn’t help within 15 minutes

• The person’s lips or fingernails are blue

• The person has trouble walking or talking 

due to shortness of breath

The most important thing to know about 

asthma is that you can control it. Asthma 

patients (or their parents) who learn what 

medicine to take and what triggers attacks 

can avoid them most of the time. That means 

people with asthma can lead normal lives. 

Many types of medicine can treat asthma. 

Keep in mind that no one medicine works 

best for everyone. You and your doctor have 

to work together to find the best medicine. 

Remember, it may take a while to find just 

the right kinds. Also, you must take the time 

to find out what sets off an attack.

Bronchus

Aveoli

Bronchiole Lungs
-12- -12-

Asthma & Allergies

Asthma Triggers

No one knows what causes asthma. Lots of things set 

off asthma attacks, though. These things are called 

triggers. Some people have only one or two triggers. 

Other people have many.

Some triggers are things to which people are often 

allergic. Common ones are pollen (from trees and 

flowers) and dander (skin flakes from cats, dogs, and 

other pets). Also, some people are allergic to pests 

such as roaches, rodents, or dust mites. Dust 

mites are tiny insects that you can’t 

see. They live everywhere—in 

carpets, upholstered furniture, stuffed animals, 

and bedding. Cigarette 

smoke is another 

common trigger of 

asthma attacks. 

Other triggers 

have nothing to do with 

allergies—cold 

weather, exercise, 

or strong feelings (laughing, 

crying).

Other Common Asthma Triggers

• Dust

• Mold

• Carbon Monoxide

• Cleaning products like furniture polish or 

 dusting sprays

• Personal care products like hair spray or perfume

• Flu, colds

There are two main types of 

asthma medicine.

One kind you (or your child) take 

regularly to make the lungs less sensitive to the things that cause asthma 

attacks. It is important 

to take this medicine as prescribed, even if you feel o.k. 

It usually takes a couple of 

weeks to work. The other type 

is called rescue medicine. You take this during an 

attack to help open up your breathing tubes so you 

can breathe better. 

Some “everyday” asthma medicines are steroids. 

Some people may worry about them because they 

have heard stories about athletes who use steroids 

in the wrong way. Asthma steroids are not the same. 

Side effects of asthma steroids are also rare. Asthma 

patients usually breathe these medicines right into 

their lungs, so they only need a small dose.
-13- -13-

Asthma & Allergies

Allergies

Common signs of allergies include runny or stuffy 

noses, coughing, hives, itching, a rash, or puffy eyes. 

Allergies can be deadly for some people. When sensitive people come in contact with something they’re 

very allergic to, like peanuts, their blood pressure 

drops, their breathing tubes swell up, and they can die 

from lack of air. The good news is that allergies can 

be treated. If you have allergies, it’s important to find 

out what causes them and how to take care of them. 

A doctor can test you to find out. People with severe 

allergies may need to carry emergency medicine.

Common Allergens

An allergen is something that causes allergy signs, or an 

allergic reaction. Many of the asthma triggers listed on 

page 12 also cause allergic reactions in people who don’t 

have asthma. There are many other allergens too. Some 

common ones are listed here. It’s important to talk to 

your doctor if you have had a reaction to any of these:

• Foods: milk and dairy products, citrus fruit like 

 oranges and lemons, artificial colors and flavors, 

 nuts, and shellfish like shrimp or clams. 

• Medicines: penicillin, some heart medicines, and 

 some anti-seizure medicines. 

• Insect stings and bites: most are caused by yellow 

jackets, honeybees, paper wasps, hornets and fire 

ants. In some people, reactions to stings become 

more serious as years go by. Eventually, only one 

sting may kill. Talk to your doctor if you have had a 

serious reaction to a sting.

• Contact allergens: cause reactions when things like 

plants, cosmetics, jewelry, or latex (a type of rubber) 

touch the skin. Rashes are common reactions to 

these allergens.

Look at the questions on the following pages to help 

you find problems around your home that may make 

asthma and allergies worse. Pages 14 and 15 will give you 

ideas about how to keep your family healthy and safe.

• Does anyone in your family have asthma or allergies?

• Does someone in your family notice burning eyes, 

coughing, or sneezing that 

happens most often 

at home?

• Does your home have 

carpet that is not 

cleaned well or 

not cleaned 

often?

• Do you have 

carpeting, 

stuffed toys, or fleecy materials in bedrooms?

• How often do you wash sheets, blankets, and 

 other bedding?

• Do you store food in containers or boxes that don’t 

have covers?

• Do you keep pets inside?

• Has it been more than a year since you had your 

 furnace, flues, and chimneys inspected and cleaned?

• Does anyone smoke inside your home?

• Is your home damp or musty?

? Questions to Ask
-14- -14-

Asthma & Allergies

Pay Attention to Your 

Asthma and Allergies

Know what triggers your or your children’s 

asthma or allergies. Talk to a doctor or nurse 

about keeping emergency medicine around if 

your asthma or allergies are severe. If someone 

you love takes asthma or allergy medications 

make sure they know when to take it.

Healthy Housekeeping

Clean your home often. Since cleaning puts dust 

into the air, have someone without asthma or 

allergies do it. Wear a dust mask if you can’t 

find somebody else to clean. You can buy one 

at a drug store.

Keep clutter down. Clutter collects dust and 

makes it harder to keep a clean home. Store 

your belongings in plastic or cardboard boxes 

instead of keeping them in piles or stacks. You 

can move the boxes to make cleaning easier.

When possible, don’t have carpeting or rugs. Hard 

floors (vinyl, wood, or tile) are much easier to 

keep dust-free. If you do have rugs or carpet, 

vacuum often. You may be able to borrow or 

buy a vacuum with a special HEPA (High 

Efficiency Particle Air) filter to get rid of dust. 

Call your local or state health department for 

more information. 

Keep Down Dust Mites

Use zippered plastic mattress and pillow covers beneath sheets and pillowcases. You can buy them at your local 

department store or through the mail. 

If the mattress cover is uncomfortable, 

put a mattress pad over it.

Wash bedding, including blankets, pillow covers, and mattress pads in hot water every week. 

Temperatures above 130oF kill dust mites.

Control Other Pests

Roaches and rodents can trigger asthma and 

allergies. They need food, water, warmth, and 

shelter to survive. You can control roaches, 

mice, and other pests by making these things 

hard to get. See the chapter on pesticides on page 

42 to learn more about how to handle pests. Here 

are some tips to keep pests away:

• Store food in tightly sealed containers.

• Clean up crumbs and spills right away.

• Empty your garbage often.

• Wash your dirty dishes right after eating.

• Don’t leave out pet food or water overnight.

• Fix plumbing leaks and drips.

• Seal cracks where roaches and other bugs 

 hide or get into your home.

ACTION STEPS
-15- -15-

Asthma & Allergies

ACTION STEPS, continued

Pets

Furry pets like dogs, cats, and gerbils can cause 

asthma and allergy attacks because of their 

saliva and skin flakes. It is best to either not 

have pets or keep them outside. If you do have 

pets inside, make sure to keep them out of 

sleeping areas and off fabric-covered furniture.

Check Your Appliances

Make sure your gas appliances, fireplace, furnace, 

or wood-burning stove have yearly checkups 

to keep down soot (and protect you from the 

dangers of carbon monoxide. See page 26 for 

more information.) 

Check the filter on your furnace or air 

conditioner a couple times each year. 

Change when needed. Think about buying filters that cost a little more than the 

most economical ones. They will clean 

the air in your home better. They trap 

more dust so you will need to change 

them more often. You can buy air filters 

at a hardware store. Check 

labels and packaging to 

find out about 

these products. 

If you rent, 

talk to 

your landlord about 

these steps.

Smoking 

Cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoke causes 

health problems, especially for people

 with asthma. It is best to quit smoking 

(contact the American Lung Association 

at 1-800-LUNG-USA for help). 

Otherwise, smoke outside and 

away from children. Don’t 

light up in your car, because 

smoke will linger there and 

affect children.

Mold 

When people breathe in 

mold, it can cause allergies and asthma to 

act up. Mold needs water to grow. Keep your 

home dry to control mold. That will also help 

with roaches and dust mites. See the chapter on 

mold on page 17 for more information.

FACT

Air cleaners may help in the bedrooms 

of allergy and asthma patients. 

Good air cleaners (with HEPA filters) cost 

about $100 or so. DO NOT use 

an air cleaner that makes ozone because 

ozone can cause health problems. 
-16-

When In Doubt, Check It Out!

✆

-16-

• Your local county Extension Office

 —look in your telephone book

• Your local or state health department

 —look in your telephone book

• American Lung Association, 800/LUNG-USA 

 —www.lungusa.org

• The Soap and Detergent Association,

Cleaning to Control Allergies and Asthma, 

 202/347-2900—www.cleaning101.com/house

• Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes 

 406/994-3451—www.montana.edu/wwwcxair

• The Allergy & Asthma Network: Mothers of Asthmatics 

800/878-4403—www.aanma.org

• The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) 

 800/929-4040—www.foodallergy.org

Asthma & Allergies

Notes

This chapter was written by Joseph Ponessa, Rutgers University Extension. ©2002 University of Wisconsin Extension. All Rights Reserved.
-17-

Most of us have seen mold or moisture 

around the home. But did you know that 

mold is alive? It grows on wet or damp surfaces. It is often gray or black but can also be white, 

orange, or green. It can grow out in the open, on 

places like walls, clothes, and appliances. But you may 

also find it in more hidden places—under carpets or 

in walls and attics. Mold often smells musty. Mildew 

is a common name for mold. If you live near the 

ocean or in a damp climate, there may be more mold 

in your home than in homes in other places.

Mold produces “spores,” tiny specks you can’t see and 

that float through the air. When you breathe in mold 

spores, they get into your lungs. This can cause health 

problems. People with allergies to mold may have 

reactions. They include watery eyes, runny or stuffed 

up noses, sneezing, itching, wheezing, trouble breathing, headaches, and tiredness. Mold can even trigger 

asthma attacks. 

We are learning more about the health problems 

mold causes. Some molds can cause severe health 

problems in some people, but scientists disagree about 

what the problems are. Mold is almost everywhere, 

but it is not healthy to live where mold is growing. 

Because mold needs moisture to grow, try to keep 

your home and everything in it dry. Here are some 

places you might find mold:

• In bathrooms, especially around the shower or tub, 

and on the walls, ceiling, or floor

• In wet or damp basements and crawl spaces

• Around leaky bathroom and kitchen sinks 

• In attics under leaking roofs 

• On wet clothes that are not dried quickly 

• On windows and walls where condensation collects

• In closets

• Under wallpaper or carpet

• In your air conditioner

It’s important to fix any moisture problem in your 

home right away. Mold can grow fast, so it’s best not 

to wait. To stop mold from growing, quickly dry or 

throw away anything that has gotten wet.

Mold & Moisture

Should You Be Concerned?

-17-

Mold & Moisture
-18-

Mold & Moisture

How is Your Family’s Health?

• Does anyone have allergies or asthma?

• Does anyone in your home always seem to have 

 a cold—a runny nose, wheezing, coughing, and 

 headaches?

• Do these problems go away when they leave home 

 for a while?

• Are there infants, children, or elderly people living 

 in the household?

How Can You Tell if Mold is Growing in 

Your Home?

• Can you see mold growing anywhere?

• Is there mildew growing on clothes or towels?

• Does any part of your house or 

 apartment smell musty or moldy?

• Do you see color changes on 

 walls or floors that you can’t 

 wipe off?

Is There Moisture in Your 

Home That Could Cause 

Mold to Grow?

• Has any part of your home been 

flooded?

• Has there been a water leak or 

 overflow?

• Has the carpet gotten wet and 

 stayed damp for more than 24 

 hours?

• Can you see moisture on walls, 

 ceilings, or windows?

• Do bathroom walls stay damp 

 for a long time after a bath or 

 shower?

• Do basement floor drains ever get clogged and 

 hold water?

• Does your basement or roof leak when it rains? 

 (Check the attic floor.)

• Does anyone use a humidifier?

• Does water collect in the drain pan under the 

 refrigerator or air conditioner?

• Do you use unvented space heaters?

• Is there a crawl space under the house?

• Do you live in a humid climate?

• Does rainwater drain toward your home’s foundation? 

• If your home is raised, does water pool under it?

• Does the air in your home feel clammy or humid?

-18-

? Questions to Ask
-19- -19-

Mold & Moisture

ACTION STEPS

• Use downspouts to direct rainwater away 

 from the house. Make sure your gutters are 

 working. 

• Slope the dirt away from your house’s 

 foundation. Make sure the dirt is lower six 

 feet away from the house than it is next to it.

• Repair leaking roofs, walls, doors, or windows.

• Keep surfaces clean and dry—wipe up spills 

and overflows right away.

• Store clothes and towels clean and dry—do 

 not let them stay wet in the laundry basket 

 or washing machine.

• Don’t leave water in drip pans, basements, 

 and air conditioners.

• Check the relative humidity in your home. 

 You can buy a kit to do this at a home 

 electronics or hardware store. Stop using 

 your humidifier if the relative humidity is 

 more than 50%. 

• If the humidity is high, don’t keep

 a lot of houseplants. 

• Wipe down shower walls with 

 a squeegee or towel 

 after bathing or 

 showering.

• Cut down on 

steam in the 

bathroom 

while 

bathing or showering. Run a fan that is 

vented to the outside or open a window.

• Run a fan vented to the outside when cooking.

• If you have a dryer, make sure it is vented to 

the outside.

• Use a dehumidifier or air conditioner to dry 

out damp areas.

• If you use a humidifier, rinse it out with 

water every day. Every few days, follow the 

manufacturer’s directions for cleaning it or 

rinse it out with a mix of 1/2 cup chlorine 

bleach (Sometimes called sodium hypochlorite. 

“Clorox” is one brand.) and one gallon 

of water.

• When you use your air conditioner, use the 

 “auto fan” setting.

• Throw away wet carpeting, cardboard

 boxes, insulation, or other things that have 

 been very wet for more than two days.

• Increase airflow in problem areas—

open closet doors and move furniture 

away from outside walls where mold is 

growing. Move your furniture around 

once in a while.

• Prevent moisture from collecting on windows by using storm windows. If you live in an 

 apartment, talk to your landlord about putting 

on storm windows.

• Keep people with asthma or allergies 

away from damp areas of your home.

• Cover window wells if they 

leak.
-20- -20-

Mold & Moisture

ACTION STEPS, continued

• After cleaning up mold, using a high efficiency 

(HEPA) vacuum or air cleaner may help to 

get rid of mold spores in the air. You may be 

able to borrow a HEPA vacuum. Call your 

local or state health department to ask.

• If you find an area of mold greater than 15 

square feet, it’s best to hire a professional to 

get rid of it. (You can find them listed in 

the telephone book under “Fire and Water 

Damage Restoration.”) 

• Clean up mold with a mix of laundry 

detergent or dishwashing soap and water 

OR chlorine bleach with soap and water. 

Do not mix chlorine bleach with any 

product that contains ammonia. 

• If you think mold may be causing you or 

 your family health problems, see a doctor.

How do I Clean Up Mold? 

Protect yourself when cleaning up mold. 

Wear long sleeves and pants, shoes and 

socks, rubber gloves, goggles to protect 

your eyes, and a N-95 respirator. Open 

a window to let in fresh air while you’re 

working. 

Throw away things like carpet or 

mattresses, wallboard (drywall), ceiling tile, 

insulation, or cardboard boxes that have been 

wet for more than two days. Wrap anything 

you’re going to throw away in plastic to stop 

mold from spreading. Cleaning up mold puts 

the spores in the air so it’s a good idea to wear 

a respirator. Keep small children, elderly and 

sick people, and anyone with allergies or 

asthma away during cleanup. 
-21--21-

Mold & Moisture

ACTION STEPS, continued

Clean hard surfaces with a mix of laundry 

detergent or dishwashing soap and water. You 

may have to scrub with a brush. Rinse the 

area with clean water and dry quickly by wiping away the water and using a fan. Chlorine 

bleach will kill mold growing on surfaces. It 

does not kill mold spores in the air and dead 

mold can still cause allergic reactions. If you 

use bleach, follow these steps:

• Scrub the surface first with water and 

 detergent.

• Water down the chlorine bleach—use about 

 one cup bleach to ten cups of water.

• Spray or sponge the bleach on the moldy 

 area. Leave it on about 15 minutes, then 

 rinse the area and dry quickly.

• Never mix chlorine bleach with products 

 that contain ammonia or acids because you 

 will make a deadly gas.

• Keep chlorine bleach out of the reach of 

 pets and children.

• Remember, chlorine bleach takes the color 

 out of most fabrics and rugs. Be careful not 

 to spill or splash.

The Cooperative Extension Service or your 

local or state health department can provide 

more information on mold. Renters should 

talk to their landlords. Some home insurance 

policies will pay to fix mold damage. Fire and 

Water Damage Restoration professionals can 

help you fix the damage. Cleaning up a big 

mold problem may cost several thousand dollars or more. 

What About Testing for Mold?

You may have heard about so-called “toxic” 

molds that can cause severe health problems. 

This may cause worry if you know that mold is 

growing in your home. See your doctor if you 

think mold is causing health problems for you 

or your family. Many experts agree that health 

problems come more from the length of time 

you’ve been in contact with the mold and the 

amount of mold in your home than the type 

of mold in your home. 

No matter what kind of mold you have, you 

need to get rid of it and fix the moisture 

problems that made it grow. Most experts 

think it’s better to spend your time and money 

on cleaning up the problem than testing. So 

act quickly to get rid of the mold and moisture 

by following the action steps in this chapter.
-22-

When In Doubt, Check It Out!

✆

-22-

• Your local county Cooperative Extension Office

 —look in your telephone book

• Your local or state health department

 —look in your telephone book

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

 —www.epa.gov/iaq 

• The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)

 —www.cdc.gov/nceh/mold

• California Indoor Air Quality Program

 —www.cal-iaq.org//iaqsheet.htm

• The Health House—www.healthhouse.org

• Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes

 406/994-3451—www.montana.edu/wwwcxair 

Mold & Moisture

This chapter was written by Marilyn Bode, Extension Specialist, Iowa State University. ©2002 University of Wisconsin Extension. All Rights Reserved.

Notes
-23-

You can’t see, taste, feel, or smell carbon monoxide (CO). However, this deadly gas can make you very sick or even kill you. Over 500 people 

in the United States die every year after breathing 

too much CO. The signs of CO poisoning seem like 

the flu. Many people don’t even know they’ve been 

breathing in CO. People who survive can suffer brain 

damage, lose their sight or hearing, or have heart 

problems. It is a major threat to your family’s health. 

The good news is that you can prevent CO poisoning. 

This section will help you ask the right questions to 

find out if the air in your home is safe and healthy.

There can be so much CO in a burning building that 

breathing smoke for as little as one minute can kill 

you. Lower levels, such as from smoking, do not 

kill right away. They can cause many other health 

problems though. Children, unborn babies, people 

with asthma, older adults, or people with heart 

or lung problems are more likely to get hurt 

from breathing CO. But remember, CO harms 

even healthy people.

Where Does CO Come From?

Fuel-burning appliances use gas, oil, or wood 

to produce heat. If they are not working right, 

they can make CO. Most gas appliances that 

have been put in and taken care of properly 

are safe and make very little CO but unvented 

appliances may not be. Electric appliances do 

not burn fuel and so make no CO. Common 

sources of CO include:

• Gas and oil furnaces, boilers, and water 

 heaters 

• Wood-burning fireplaces and stoves

• Gas appliances like ovens, stoves, or dryers 

• Gas and kerosene space heaters 

• Gas and charcoal grills

• Cars, trucks, campers, tractors, and other vehicles

• Gasoline and liquid propane (LP)-powered small 

 equipment, including lawn mowers, snow blowers, 

 chainsaws, pressure washers, and electric generators

• Recreational vehicles, including boat motors, all 

 terrain vehicles (ATVs), ski-boats, and generators in 

 campers and houseboats

• Tobacco smoke

• House fires

• Blocked chimneys and flues

Carbon Monoxide

Should You Be Concerned?

Carbon Monoxide

-23-
-24-

Breathing in low levels of CO can 

hurt your brain, heart, or other 

parts of your body. At high levels, 

the brain is so short of oxygen 

that you cannot think clearly. 

You lose control of your muscles 

and may be unable to move to 

safety. High-level CO poisoning 

can cause loss of consciousness, 

coma, and death.

There are simple but important 

steps to take to find out if your 

family is at risk for CO poisoning. 

The questions on the following 

page will help you do that. Page 

27 will give you ideas of what to 

do to keep the air in your home 

safe to breathe.

What are the Signs of CO 

Poisoning?

People often think CO poisoning 

is the flu. That’s because it can 

feel like the flu. Signs of low-level 

CO poisoning may include:

• Headache

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Dizziness

• Confusion

• Tiredness

• Weakness

• Sleepiness

• Tightness in the chest

• Trouble breathing

• Changes in senses of sight, 

 smell, hearing, touch and taste.

-24-

Carbon Monoxide

CO and Smoking

If you smoke, you breathe in carbon 

monoxide and many other chemicals. If 

you smoke indoors, people around you also 

breathe the smoke (called second-hand or 

environmental tobacco smoke). Smoking 

can make minor health problems worse 

and cause major diseases like cancer and 

heart disease. If you need help 

quitting, contact the American Lung 

Association at 

1-800-LUNG-USA. FACT
-25-

Carbon Monoxide

• Do you sometimes use charcoal grills 

 or small gasoline engines inside your 

 home, garage, or closed-in porch?

• Do you have an attached garage?

• Do you sometimes warm up your car 

 inside the garage?

• Has it been more than one year since 

 you or your landlord had your furnace, 

 fireplace, wood stove, chimney or other

 appliances inspected or cleaned?

• Do you ever use a gas or kerosene space 

 heater or a vent-free gas fireplace?

• Does your home have a carbon 

 monoxide alarm?

• Do you ever use the kitchen stove or 

 oven to heat your home?

• Do you sometimes forget to turn on 

 the kitchen exhaust fan when using the 

 oven?

• Do some of the burners on the kitchen 

 stove burn yellow or orange?*

• Does smoke from the fireplace some- 

 times come back into the room?

• Are your appliances and furnace in 

 good shape?

• Are the vent pipes for your furnace, boiler, or 

 water heater rusty or falling apart?*

• Do you have a gas water heater that does 

 not have a vent?*

• Is there rust, soot, or dirt on your 

 furnace, boiler, or water heater?*

• Is your furnace or boiler over ten years old?*

• Have you weather-stripped doors and windows 

 or insulated your home?* 

• Have you closed off vent or combustion 

 air openings?*

-25-

* See the Safety Checklist on page 26

? Questions to Ask
-26- -26-

Carbon Monoxide

ACTION STEPS

Safety

Checklist

If you answered yes to any of the starred 

questions on page 25 pay special attention 

to this checklist. Remember, putting in and 

taking care of cooking and heating appliances like stoves and furnaces can be dangerous. Only trained and qualified workers 

should do this. 

• Turn off an appliance or heater that 

starts making different noises, smells 

funny, starts sooting, has a yellow or 

orange-colored flame, or does not seem 

to be working right. Call a heating contractor for repairs.

• Read and follow the instructions that 

came with your appliance or unvented 

gas heater. Never block or disconnect an 

exhaust vent.

• Provide good ventilation for all heating 

appliances. 

• Keep all wood, paper, cloth, and furniture 

away from heating appliances. 

• Don’t block an appliance’s air openings 

or exhaust vents.

• Have furnaces checked every year by a 

qualified heating contractor.

• Ask the contractor to check for carbon 

monoxide and look at the vent (chimney) 

system.

• If you insulate and weather-strip your 

home, call a heating contractor to make 

sure there is still enough ventilation.

• If you smell gas or if the smoke detector 

or the carbon monoxide alarm goes off, 

leave the building right away and call 9-1-1. 

• Never use charcoal grills or run engines inside 

your home, garage, or basement even for a 

short time. Charcoal grills and small gasoline 

engines make a lot of carbon monoxide. 

Even opening all the windows and doors will 

not give you enough fresh air to prevent CO 

poisoning. 

• Never warm up a vehicle inside the garage. 

Warming up your car, truck, or motorcycle on 

a cold day for just a couple of minutes (even 

with the garage door open) can make enough 

CO to make you sick. Start lawnmowers, snow 

blowers, and other yard equipment outdoors.

• Have a heating contractor check your furnace, 

chimneys, and other sources of CO every fall 

to make sure everything is okay. (You can find 

one in the telephone book.) Make sure they 

use a tool that measures CO. To get harmful 

gases out of a home, many heating appliances 

have chimneys. (Chimneys on gas appliances 

are called vents). The chimney carries CO and 

other gases from the appliance outdoors. If 

your appliances and vents are working right 

there should be little CO in your home. If 

you rent, ask your landlord to have the heating system checked. 

• Make sure chimneys are in good shape—

clean and working right. Have your chimney, wood-burning fireplace, or wood stove 

swept every year. Burning wood nearly always 

makes a lot of CO. It is very important that 

all the smoke goes out the chimney.

• If you use unvented kerosene or gas heaters 

OR a vent-free gas fireplace, follow instructions 

carefully and always open a window for fresh 

air. Do not use them while sleeping.
-27- -27-

Carbon Monoxide

ACTION STEPS, continued

• Put carbon monoxide alarms near each 

sleeping area and on each floor of your 

home. (Older models are called carbon 

monoxide detectors.) You can find them 

at your local hardware, discount, outlet, or 

building supply store for $20 to $50.

• Never use the kitchen stove or oven to heat 

your home.

• Always turn on the kitchen exhaust fan 

when using a non-electric oven or range top.

• Have the kitchen range top fixed before 

using it if the flames burn orange or yellow.

• Don’t use a smoking fireplace until you fix 

the problem.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms 

Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms will help 

protect you and your family from sickness or 

death. A good alarm will make a loud noise 

when CO levels become too high. There are 

plug-in and battery operated alarms. Look 

on the package to make sure the alarm is 

okayed by a qualified testing laboratory, such 

as Underwriters Laboratory (UL). Check the 

batteries on a battery-operated alarm every six 

months. Every home should have at least one 

alarm. It’s best to put one near each sleeping 

area and on each level of the home. Carbon 

monoxide alarms do not take the place of 

checking and taking good care of your home’s 

furnace, fireplace, space heaters, and oven. 

If someone in your family shows signs of CO 

poisoning or if a CO alarm goes off:

• Get outside right away.

• Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number 

from a phone outside your home.

• See a doctor or nurse right away. See a doctor 

or nurse even if you feel better after breathing fresh air. They can check your blood and 

breath for CO and tell if you need more 

medical care. 

• Treat all alarm soundings as an emergency. 

Never ignore an alarm sounding!

• Have your home checked out by a qualified 

heating or appliance contractor. You can 

find one in the telephone book. 

• Don’t go back home until all problems have 

been found and fixed.
-28-

When In Doubt, Check It Out!

✆

-28-

• Your local county Extension Office

 —look in your telephone book

• Your local or state health department 

 —look in your telephone book

• The Consumer Products Safety Commission

 800/638-2772—www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/466.html

• The American Lung Association, 800/LUNG-USA

 —www.lungusa.org/air/carbon_facstsheet99.html

• Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes

 406/994-3451—www.montana.edu/wwwcxair/

Carbon Monoxide

Notes

This chapter was written by Thomas Greiner, Iowa State University Cooperative Extension. ©2002 University of Wisconsin Extension. All Rights Reserved.
-29-

L

ead poisoning is one of the most serious health 

threats for children in and around the home. 

Your children can be poisoned if they get lead 

in their bodies. Lead may cause learning and behavior 

problems. It may damage hearing and the nervous 

system, including the brain.

Where Does Lead Come From? 

Lead was used in paint, water pipes, gasoline, pottery, 

and other places. Even though this metal is not used 

as much anymore, it still remains in places it was used. 

The paint on your walls and windowsills may have 

lead in it. Household dust (from old, worn paint) 

may have lead in it. Your drinking water may have 

lead in it from your water pipes or the solder that 

joins pipes together. Even the soil outside your home 

may have lead in it. 

It is very important to find out if your home has lead 

in or around it. There are tests that will let you know 

and they don’t cost a lot.

How Can Lead Poison your Child? 

There are many ways. Young children put their hands 

and everything else in their mouths, so they can eat 

the dust or chips of lead-based paint without knowing it. Even bits of paint too small to see can come off 

windows, doors, and walls, creating lead dust. Children 

who crawl on the floor, put toys in their mouths, or 

play in soil around their home or daycare can be poisoned. 

Children with too much lead in their bodies may not 

look or feel sick. A simple blood test is the only way 

to know if your child is being exposed to lead. Ask your 

doctor or health care provider to test your child for lead. 

Lead paint that is in good shape is not an immediate 

problem. It may be a risk in the future though. 

Laws have been passed to ban lead in household 

paint, gasoline and water pipes. However, many older 

homes still have lead in them. Finding out if lead is 

a problem in your home is the first step in protecting 

your children's health. The questions on the next 

page can help. 

Lead

Should You Be Concerned?

FACT One out of every 40 American children 

has too much lead in their bodies. The rate 

of lead poisoning is even higher in cities. 

Dust from lead paint is the biggest 

threat to young children.

-29-

Lead
-30- -30-

• Do you live in an older home? Many older homes 

 have lead-based paint or lead water pipes. Lead 

 paint was banned in 1978. Homes built before 

 1950 are most likely to have lead in paint and 

 water pipes.

• Is there cracking, chipping, or flaking paint in your 

 home? 

• Are there places where paint is being rubbed, such 

 as on a door or in a window frame? This can make 

 dust that has lead in it. 

• Do you have water pipes made with lead or joined 

 with lead solder? Water that flows through them may 

 contain lead. Lead pipes are dull gray and scratch 

 easily with a key or penny.

• Has your home been recently remodeled or 

 renovated? Projects may leave dust or paint chips 

 with lead. 

• Is there lead in the soil outside your home? It may 

 have gotten there from paint on the outside of the 

 building or from industry. Or it may have come 

 from car exhaust from the days when gasoline 

 contained lead. Children can be poisoned if they 

 play in soil that has lead in it or if someone tracks 

 the soil inside the home. 

• Does someone you live with work where lead is 

 used? Some jobs that might create lead dust are: 

 construction, bridge building, sandblasting, ship 

 building, plumbing, battery making and recycling, 

 car repair, furniture refinishing, and foundry casting. 

 Workers can bring lead dust home on clothing, 

 skin, or shoes. 

• Do you have children under age six who have not 

 had a blood test for lead? Young children should 

 be tested for lead. This is especially true if you live 

 in an older home, if your home has recently been 

 remodeled, or if a brother, sister or a playmate has 

 tested high for lead. Ask your doctor to test your 

 children beginning at six months of age, and then 

 every year until age six. 

• Have neighbor children or playmates ever had a 

 high blood lead test? 

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your 

children may be at risk for lead poisoning. Look at 

the Action Steps on the next page to find out what 

you can do to protect your children’s health! 

Lead

FACT

The Blood Test for Lead

• It only takes a small blood sample to tell if 

 your child has lead poisoning. 

• Ask your health care provider about testing. 

• Lead levels are measured in micrograms per 

 deciliter (μ/dL). 

 • If your child’s level is 10 μ/dL or more, it is 

 too high. 

 • You need to find out how she or he is getting 

 the lead. 

• Your health care provider can help you find 

 out what to do.

? Questions to Ask
-31-

Lead

-31-

Have Your Children Tested for Lead

• This test is often free at local health clinics. 

Find Out if Your Home Has Lead 

• You may need to have your home or water 

 tested. Your local or state health department 

 can tell you how to do this for little or no 

 cost. Many hardware stores also sell low-cost 

 lead testing kits. 

• Don’t try to remove lead on your own. It 

 should be done by trained and certified 

 workers. You can find a certified lead paint 

 removal company by contacting your local 

 or state health department. Getting rid of 

 lead in the wrong way can make the 

 problem worse! Children and pregnant 

 women need to stay away during a lead 

 removal project. 

Protect Your Children From Lead

• Wash children’s hands and face often with 

 soap and water, especially before they eat. 

 Wash toys every week. 

• Keep down lead-based paint dust with 

 housekeeping. Wipe windowsills, floors, 

 and other surfaces with paper towels, warm 

 water and soap once a week. Rinse well.

• Never sweep, vacuum, or dry dust in a 

 room that has lead dust. You will not 

 remove the harmful dust and can stir it up. 

 This includes porches, which were often 

 painted with lead paint. 

• Don’t let children chew or put their mouths 

 on windowsills. Keep cribs away from 

 windowsills and walls. 

• If any remodeling is being done, be sure 

 you find out if work is happening on 

 something that contains lead-based paint. 

 Never dry scrape or dry sand lead paint. 

 Don’t burn or torch it. Children and 

 pregnant women should stay away while 

 work takes place. Test dust for lead around 

 the remodeling area afterwards. 

• If you have lead pipes or pipes joined with 

 lead solder, you can take steps to cut down 

 on the lead in your water: 

ACTION STEPS
✆

-32- -32-

Lead

ACTION STEPS, continued

— Never use hot water from the tap for drinking, 

cooking, or making formula. Hot water can 

take more lead out of the pipes.

— When you haven’t used any water for a few 

 hours or overnight let the cold water run 

 for a few minutes before using it again. You 

 will know it has run long enough when the 

 water changes temperature. Usually it gets 

 colder. This clears out any water sitting in 

 the pipes that may have collected lead 

 or other metals. (See the chapter on drinking 

 water on page 33.)

• Have your water tested for lead. Call your 

 local or state health department to learn how. 

• If someone in your home works with lead, 

 they can bring it home on their clothes. 

 Make sure they shower and change clothes 

 and shoes before coming inside. Wash 

 these clothes by themselves. 

• If your yard or the yard at your children’s 

 daycare may have lead in the soil, don’t let 

 your children play there. Have the soil tested 

 for lead to make sure it’s safe. Put in grass 

 or other plants to help keep children away 

 from the soil in the meantime. 

• Feed your children a healthy diet. Foods 

 with vitamin C, calcium, and iron can help 

 reduce lead poisoning. Children with lead 

 poisoning often don’t get enough iron or 

 other minerals in their diets. Making sure 

 your children get enough of these nutrients 

 can lower how much lead their body 

 takes in.

When In Doubt, Check It Out!

• For blood tests, call your family doctor or public 

 health clinic.

• For testing of paint samples and drinking water, 

 call your local or state health department. 

• For a packet of materials or questions about lead, 

 call the National Lead Information Center, toll-free 

 at 800/424-LEAD. 

• For information on lead in drinking water, call the 

 EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 800/426-4791 

 or visit the website at www.epa.gov/safewater.

• Contact HUD about tenants’ rights and other hous 

 ing issues at 800/HUDS-FHA—www/hud.gov. 

• For more information on Lead In and Around the 

 Home, see Home*A*Syst. The Home*A*Syst hand 

 book gives more details about this and other 

 healthy home topics. 608/262-0024 or

 www.uwex.edu/homeasyst.

This chapter was adapted from “Lead In and Around the Home: Identifying and Managing Its Sources,” by Karen Filchak, University of Connecticut 

Cooperative Extension. In Home*A*Syst, An Environmental Risk-Assessment Guide for the Home, ©1997 Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. 

All rights reserved.
-33-

Every day Americans 

drink more than one 

billion glasses of 

water! We also depend on 

water in our homes to clean, 

cook, fix baby food and formula, and 

bathe. If you are like most people, you trust that 

your water is safe. This is mostly true. Public drinking water in the U.S. is safe for most healthy people. 

If you have a well or other private water supply, it’s up 

to you to keep your drinking water safe. Whether your 

water comes from a public or private source, you can 

take steps to make sure it’s safe for you and your children.

There are times when your home water supply may 

not be safe. Using unsafe water to drink or prepare 

food can make you sick. Children may have more 

problems than adults because:

• For their size, children drink more than adults.

• Their illnesses may be more serious because children’s 

immune systems are still developing.

• Their bodies are still growing, so chemicals can 

 harm them more.

What May be in Drinking Water that is 

Not Safe?

Bacteria and viruses can cause diseases. Drinking water 

with these germs may cause upset stomachs, diarrhea, 

or more serious illnesses. It can be worse for children, 

pregnant women, and sick or older people. Just one 

drink of water with these germs can make you sick.

Nitrate gets into water from animal and human waste, 

and from fertilizer. Too much nitrate in your drinking 

water can cause blue baby syndrome in babies under 

six months old. Babies with this problem often have 

blue or purple-colored faces because they do not get 

enough oxygen in their blood. They need to see a doctor 

right away. Some experts believe nitrate may also result 

in birth defects and miscarriages. Baby food or 

formula made with your drinking water needs 

to be safe.

Lead and copper are metals that can get 

into water from your pipes. Too much 

lead can cause children to have learning and behavior problems, and other 

illnesses (See pages 29-32 for more 

information on lead). Babies who 

get too much copper can have colic 

and spit up their formula more than 

normal. Older children and 

adults may get upset stomachs or diarrhea from 

copper.

Other harmful chemicals can get into 

drinking water. 

Pesticides may 

get into your 

water supply 

by washing 

off lawns 

and fields 

or leaking 

from storage containers. Gas or oil can seep into the ground and get into 

drinking water. Even very small amounts of some 

chemicals can cause problems, such as damage to 

kidneys, liver, or other organs. Some cause cancer and 

others can cause problems if you are pregnant.

Answer the questions on the next pages to find out if 

your water is safe and what you can do to cut down on 

risks to your family.

Drinking Water

Should You Be Concerned?

-33-

Drinking Water
-34- -34-

Drinking Water

Where Does Your Water Come From?

Does your water come from a public water supply, 

such as the water utility in your city or town? Or 

do you have a private water supply, such as a well 

or spring? The questions to ask yourself depend on 

where your water comes from.

Public Water Supplies

Before reaching your home, water from a public 

water supply is tested for over 80 different chemicals. 

If there are problems, the utility has to treat the water to 

make it safe or tell you that the water is unsafe to drink.

Every year, water utilities give the results of these 

water tests to customers. They mail reports or print 

them in a local newspaper. You can also call your 

water utility to ask what chemicals are found in the 

water and how they treat it to make it safe.

Public water can become unsafe after it gets to your 

home through lead or copper pipes. What kind of 

pipes do you have?

 Lead Pipes: Your home, especially if it is older, may 

 have lead water pipes or pipes 

 joined with lead solder. 

 Lead pipes are dull gray 

 and scrathch easily 

 with a key.

 Copper Pipes: You 

 may have copper 

 pipes. These are 

 reddish-brown in 

 color.

ACTION STEPS

Clear the Pipes—Follow this simple step if 

lead or copper are problems in your home.

When you haven’t used your water for a while 

(like when you wake up in the morning or when 

you get home from work), you need to clear out 

the pipes. Let the cold water run for two or three 

minutes or until you feel the temperature change, 

before you drink it or use it for cooking. This 

will flush out water that has sat in the pipes and 

picked up lead or copper. Never use hot water 

from the tap for cooking, drinking, or making 

formula because the heat helps dissolve the metals faster. Use cold water and heat it on the stove 

or in the microwave.

Help Protect Water Supplies

You may not know it, but the public water supply 

is local. Your water may come from the groundwater that is under your home. It may come from 

the river or lake nearby. What you do can help 

keep it clean or pollute it.

• If you use poisons to kill bugs or weeds, 

 follow what the label says. Never use more 

 than the label says.

• Watch where you store chemicals 

 (such as bleach, paint, or pesticides) 

outside. Make sure that the bottles 

are closed tightly and have labels 

that say what they are.

• Do not throw chemicals in the 

garbage or down the drain. Read 

the label for disposal instructions. Give leftovers to someone 

who will use them or call your 

local or state health department to 

find out how to get rid of them.

? Questions to Ask
-35-

Drinking Water

-35-

• Clean up after your dog. Don’t leave pet 

 waste on the ground where rain can wash 

 the germs into rivers and lakes. It’s best to 

 flush it down the toilet.

Private Water Supplies

You may have a private water supply, such as a 

well, for your drinking water. Your well is your 

responsibility. You need 

to make sure it is clean 

and safe.

Test Your Well 

Water

Has it been more than 

two years since your 

water was tested? You 

cannot see, smell, or 

taste most problems so 

you need to have your 

water tested at a laboratory. Well water is usually tested for bacteria 

and nitrate. You may 

want to have your water 

tested more often or for 

other pollutants, like 

pesticides, if you have 

had problems in the 

past. Call your local or 

state health department to find out how to 

have your water tested.

Protect Your Water Supply

You also need to take care of your well, especially if it is old. 

Do you know where your well is?

Find your well. Is it uphill from animal pens, 

manure, pet waste, septic systems, dumps, or 

places where chemicals are stored?

What kind of well do you have? 

• A dug or bored well usually has a big hole, 

 two feet across or more, and is less than 50 

 feet deep. These wells 

 may be less safe because 

 chemicals and bacteria 

 can easily get into the 

 water through the top 

 and sides

• A drilled well usually has 

a narrow hole (4-10 inches 

around) and is deeper, 

sometimes hundreds of feet.

• A driven point or sand- 

 point well is 1-2 inches 

 around and may not 

 be deep.

If you do not know what kind 

of well you have, contact a 

local well driller. You can find 

one in the telephone book.

Do you know how old your 

well is?

If it is more than 20 years old 

it may need a checkup. You may need to test 

your water more often.

Is your well in good shape? You want to keep 

things from above ground out of your water 

supply.

ACTION STEPS, continued

A PRIVATE WELL
-36- -36-

Drinking Water

ACTION STEPS, continued

FACT 95% of people living in rural areas drink 

water from private sources.

• The well casing needs to stick up above the 

 ground, up to 12 inches but local rules 

 vary. Your local or state health department 

 has the information. 

• There should be no gaps or spaces between 

 the well casing and the material or soil 

 around it.

• Make sure the casing does not have 

 holes or cracks.

• Does the well cap fit tightly? Are any 

 openings or vents covered by a screen?

• Be sure there is not a low area near 

 the well where rainwater can collect. 

 Rainwater carrying pollutants can get 

 into well water.

• Don’t keep gas, oil, weed killer, or 

 other chemicals in your well house.

Do you have unused wells on your property?

Unused wells that have not been properly filled 

and capped can let pollution into groundwater and make your drinking water unsafe. If 

you have an unused well, ask your local or 

state health department how to seal it.

Use devices on the ends of faucets to keep water 

from flowing back into your water supply. 

These are called back flow prevention devices. 

They help keep pollutants from washing back 

into the hose and into your drinking water. 

What kind of pipes do you have?

See the section on “Clear the Pipes” on page 34 to 

find out how to make sure harmful metals are 

not getting into your drinking water from your 

pipes.
-37- -37-

When In Doubt, Check It Out!

✆ • Your local water company

• Your local Cooperative Extension office

• Your local or state health department

• EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline toll-free at 

800/426-4791

• The Home*A*Syst handbook gives more details 

 about this and other healthy home topics. 

 608/262-0024—www.uwex.edu/homeasyst

Drinking Water

This chapter was adapted from “Drinking Water Well Management”, by Bill McGowan, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension. In Home*A*Syst, An 

Environmental Risk-Assessment Guide for the Home, ©1997 Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved, and “Your Guide to Public 

Water”, by Alyson McCann, University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension, February 2000, Rhode Island Home*A*Syst program.

Notes
-38-

Do you have these products in your 

home? Bleach, 

rat poison, mothballs, charcoal lighter fluid, 

oven cleaner, batteries, 

mercury thermometers, 

gas, oil, wood polish, toilet 

and drain cleaners, shoe 

polish, bug spray?

Household products like 

these are dangerous for 

your children!

Household products are 

called hazardous if they 

can harm people when not used in the 

right way. Not every product is hazardous and some are more dangerous 

than others.

You can use most products safely if you follow the 

directions on the label. Doing things that are not on 

the label is risky for your health and your family’s. People 

run into trouble by using too much of a product, or by 

mixing two products together, for example.

Children can be poisoned if products are stored or 

thrown away unsafely. Children’s bodies are small, so 

even a little bit of some chemicals can cause big problems. 

Eating or drinking a hazardous product is dangerous, 

of course. Also, just touching or breathing some 

products—even a very small amount of them—can 

be harmful. They can burn your 

skin or eyes just by touching them. Some 

hazardous products can make you 

sick if they get 

into your body 

through your 

skin or when 

you breathe 

in their 

dust or 

fumes.

Sometimes you know 

right away if you or your child 

has come into contact with a hazardous product. You 

may feel sick to your stomach or dizzy. Your skin may 

itch or burn. Your eyes may water or hurt. 

Other problems don’t show up until later, like cancer 

or harm to your lungs. Also, coming into contact 

with chemicals can affect a child’s growing body.

You can protect your children and yourself from illness 

and injury. Use hazardous products safely. Store them 

carefully. Dispose of them properly. The following pages 

will help you learn more.

Hazardous Household Products

Should You Be Concerned?

Hazardous Household Products

-38-

In Case of Emergency

You can reach your local Poison Control 

Center by calling 1-800-222-1222 from 

anywhere in the country. Put this number 

next to all of your telephones and where FACT you store your hazardous products.

In 2000, nearly 20,000 children 

were exposed to or poisoned by 

household chlorine bleach.
-39-

Use Safely

Do you use hazardous household products safely?

• Read the label. 

That is one of 

the most 

important steps 

in using 

products.

• Look for 

words like 

caution, 

warning, 

flammable, 

harmful, danger, 

poison. These tell 

you that a product 

may be hazardous. If you see 

these words on a label, take extra care. 

• Look for special instructions on the label such as: 

 “Work in well ventilated area.” This means work 

 outside or with the windows open. The fumes can 

 make you sick if you do not have enough fresh air. 

• “Wear protective clothing.” This means wear goggles 

 or safety glasses, gloves, long sleeves, or other 

 coverings. The right clothing can prevent burns or 

 keep chemicals from going into your body through 

 the skin.

• Never mix products unless the label says it is safe 

 to do it. For example, never mix products containing 

 chlorine bleach with products containing ammonia.

 You will make a deadly gas by mixing these together. 

• Keep children and pets away while you use 

 hazardous products.

• Always put the cap back on and put away the product 

right after you finish using it.

• Never leave the product or container where children 

 can see it or reach it.

• Don’t eat, drink, or smoke when using hazardous 

 products.

• Be ready in case there’s an accident: Put the Poison 

Control Center telephone number, 800/222-1222, 

where you can find it quickly in case of an emergency. 

Tape it to the wall by your kitchen phone, for example.

• Buy Syrup of Ipecac at your local drugstore and 

 keep it handy. This medicine makes a person throw 

 up. But only use it when a doctor or the Poison 

 Control Center tells you. Sometimes throwing up 

 makes the poisoning worse.

Use Less

Can you cut down on the hazardous products in 

your home?

• Do you buy only what you need, so you don’t 

 have extras?

• Prevent or reduce pest problems so you don’t 

need chemicals to kill them. Wash dishes and 

wipe counters often. Keep the 

garbage area tidy. 

• If you’re pregnant, don’t use 

hazardous products if something else will do the job. 

• Think about using tools or 

products known to be safe: 

Use a plunger to unclog 

sinks instead of chemicals. 

Clean with baking soda 

(for scrubbing) or 

vinegar (for cutting grease).

Hazardous Household Products

-39-

? Questions to Ask
-40-

Hazardous Household Products

Store Safely

Do you store hazardous household products safely?

• Keep them away from children. A locked, secure 

 place is best.

• Store them in the package, can, or bottle they came 

 in. Never put them in another container (especially 

 one for food or drink)! This helps prevent poisoning 

 and keeps the label instructions with the product.

• Keep containers and packages dry. Close them tightly.

• Set containers inside a plastic bucket in case of leaks.

• Store products at least 150 feet away from your 

 well, cistern, or water pump. This will protect your 

 water supply and your health.

• Keep products away from heat, sparks, or fire.

• Store batteries and flammable chemicals like gasoline 

 in the shade, away from direct sunlight.

Safe Disposal

How do you get rid of leftover products?

• Share the extra with someone who will use it up.

• Take leftovers to a community hazardous waste 

 collection point. Ask your local or state health 

 department where this is. 

• Some products—like pesticides—are very 

 hazardous. You will even need to be careful 

 how you dispose of the container. The label 

 will tell you what to do.

• Never dump or burn hazardous 

 products on your property. Dumping 

 or burning them near a water supply 

 is very dangerous.

• Never burn hazardous wastes in a barrel or stove. 

 Burning may let off toxic gases and make 

 hazardous ash and smoke. And, it’s against the law 

 in many states.

• Recycle used motor oil or antifreeze. Many 

 communities have places for you to do this. 

• Mercury is a threat to health. Products that have 

 mercury in them are fluorescent bulbs, thermometers, 

 thermostats, and blood pressure meters. Call your 

 local trash department or health department to 

 find out where to recycle products with mercury.

-40-

? Questions to Ask
-41- -41-

Hazardous Household Products

ACTION STEPS

When In Doubt, 

Check It Out!

✆

• Call your local Poison Control Center 800/222-1222

• Call your local Cooperative Extension office

• Call your local or state health department

• Contact the Consumer Products Safety Commission: 

 800/638-2772 • www.cpsc.gov

• Contact Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes: 

 406/994-3451 or visit the website at 

 www.montana.edu/wwwcxair/

• The Home*A*Syst handbook gives more details 

 about this and other healthy home topics 

 608/262-0024 or www.uwex.edu/homeasyst

• EPA’s Consumer Labeling Initiative 

 www.epa.gov/opptintr/labeling/index.htm

Notes

This chapter was adapted from “Managing Hazardous Household Products,” by Elaine Andrews, University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension. In 

Home*A*Syst, An Environmental Risk-Assessment Guide for the Home, ©1997 Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved.

Here are some ways to protect your 

family’s health.

• Buy only what you need to do the job.

• Use products known to be safe when possible.

• Read and follow directions on product 

 labels—always!

• Post the Poison Control Center telephone 

 number next to the phone.

• Never mix two products together unless 

 you are certain it is safe to do so.

• Never mix bleach and ammonia

• Keep all hazardous products, including 

 bleach, in a cabinet out of reach of children.

• Buy products in childproof containers.

• Keep hazardous products in their original 

 containers.

• Give leftover products to someone else 

 to use.

• Find out about your community’s hazardous 

 waste collection points.

• Recycle products that you can—oil, antifreeze, 

 products with mercury.

• Never burn or dump leftover products or 

 containers.
-42-

Many families are bugged by pests. 

Cockroaches, flies, rats, and mice carry 

disease and can get into food. Roaches 

and house dust mites can make allergies and asthma 

worse. Fleas and ticks riding into the home on pets or 

clothing can carry disease. The bites of rats and certain 

spiders can make children and others very ill.

Pesticides are things like bug spray, pet flea collars, rat 

poison, and garden weed killer that can prevent and 

kill pests. Pesticides can pose a real danger if you do 

not use them in the right way. Some may cause poisoning, birth defects, nerve damage, and even cancer. 

They can make allergies or asthma worse. Breathing 

fumes or dust from pesticide powders and sprays can 

be harmful. Touching a floor where pesticide was used 

can also be dangerous. 

Children are especially at risk. When they crawl and 

play on floors and lawns, they can come into contact 

with any pesticides used there. Young children put 

their hands, toys, and other things in their mouths. 

They may have touched pesticides on the floor or 

grass. 

The biggest danger is poisoning. Children can 

accidentally poison themselves if they play with, 

eat, or drink pesticides that are not stored safely.

Pesticides

Should You Be Concerned?

-42-

Pesticides

POISONED BY CHEMICALS: 

Don’t let this happen

 to your child

• A five-year old boy drinks from a bottle 

 of bleach that he found under the 

 bathroom sink.

• A three-year old girl tries to spray her hair 

the way Mommy does, but sprays an 

aerosol disinfectant in her eyes instead.

• A baby who has just begun to crawl eats 

 green pebbles from behind the sofa. They 

 look like candy but are really rat poison.

The good news is there are lots of things 

you can do to protect your family’s health 

and safety. Ask yourself the questions on 

the following page to see if pesticides may 

be a threat in your home. Safe pesticide use 

depends on you!

FACT Almost one-half of homes with a child 

under five have pesticides stored within 

reach of children.
-43- -43-

Pesticides

Why Do You Have Pests?

• Does your home have loose or torn screens or broken 

 windows?

• Are there gaps or holes in the building that could 

 let in pests?

• Are counters and floors sometimes dirty? Do dishes 

 go unwashed?

• Is there spilled food anywhere in your home?

• Do you keep your garbage where ants, roaches, 

 rats, mice, or other animals can get into it?

• Does your plumbing or roof leak?

• Do you store food in containers or boxes that don’t 

 have covers?

Do You Use Pesticides Properly? 

Never take it for granted that a pesticide is harmless.

• Do you (or a pest control company) ever use 

airborne pesticides like flea bombs or roach sprays 

indoors instead of baits? Bombs and sprays spread 

pesticides over a larger area, making it more likely 

someone will come into contact with them.

• Do you use flea collars, sprays, or powder 

on your pets? These contain pesticides 

that may harm people.

• Do you use pesticides without reading the label?

• Are children or pets in the room 

when you use pesticides?

• Do you eat, drink, or smoke 

while using a pesticide?

• Do you use care when you put 

bug repellant on your children?

• Do you serve fruits and vegetables without washing them well?

How Do You Store and Dispose of 

Pesticides?

• Do you ever store pesticides in containers other 

 than the package they came in?

• Do you sometimes have extra, leftover pesticides 

 around the home?

• Do you store pesticides where children can reach 

 them?

• Do you keep pesticides near food?

• Do you throw empty pesticide containers away 

 without rinsing them?

• Do you leave empty pesticide containers where 

 children can reach them? 

? Questions to Ask
-44- -44-

Pesticides

ACTION STEPS

Keep a Clean Home

• Wash children’s hands, bottles, pacifiers, 

 and toys often. Regularly clean floors, 

 windowsills, and other surfaces.

• Keep a tight lid on trashcans and empty 

 them often.

• Store food in tightly sealed containers.

• Make sure people in your home eat at the 

 table. Don’t let them walk around with food.

• Wipe up spills and crumbs right away.

• Clean up dirty dishes right after eating.

• Clean your home well after treating for 

 roaches to reduce roach allergies.

• Pests need water. Keep them from getting it 

 by fixing leaks and not leaving dishwater in 

 the sink overnight.

• Control fleas by washing bedding often, 

 shampooing pets, vacuuming floors, and 

 using flea combs and traps.

• Get rid of stacks of newspaper, papers, bags, 

 and cardboard boxes that make good 

 homes for pests. Recycle them if you can.

Keep Pests Out of Your Home

• Seal cracks and crevices where pests can get 

 in your home.

• Check things like bags and boxes for roaches 

 before bringing them inside.

• Teach your children not to share combs, 

 hats, or coats at school or daycare.

Use Pesticides Safely

• Read the label and follow the instructions. 

 Use only the amount directed and for the 

 purpose listed.

• Place all pesticides, including baits, out of 

 the reach of children.

• When using a pesticide, keep children away 

 until it has dried or for the time the label 

 recommends.

• Protect your skin, your eyes, and your lungs 

 while using pesticides. 

• Always wash your hands after use. Never 

 smoke, eat, or drink while using a pesticide.

• Look for signal words. All pesticide labels 

 include words such as Caution, Warning, 

 or Danger to warn you about a product’s 

 hazards.
-45-

!

-45-

Pesticides

• Wash clothing you wore while using a 

 pesticide in a separate load from other 

 laundry.

• If you have questions about using a pesticide, 

 call the company that made it. An 800 

 number should be on the label. You can 

 also call the National Pesticide Information 

 Center at 1-800-858-7378.

• Mix and use only the amount you need so 

 you don’t have leftovers.

• Mix pesticides outdoors or in an area with 

 plenty of fresh air (Never mix them in the 

 kitchen).

Storing and Disposing of Pesticides

• Store pesticides where children and pets 

 can’t reach them or in a locked cabinet.

• Store pesticides only in the container they 

 came in. Never put them in a soft drink 

 bottle or any other kind of container.

• Follow the directions on the label for the 

 right way to throw away pesticides.

• Never use an empty pesticide container for 

 something else.

ACTION STEPS, continued

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

You can reach your local Poison Control Center by calling 

1-800-222-1222 from anywhere in the country.

Put this number next to all of your telephones and 

where you store your hazardous products.

The word Caution

shows up on a pesticide 

label when a product 

is the least harmful to 

people.

Warning means a 

product is more poisonous than one with a 

Caution label.

Danger means a 

product is very poisonous or irritating. Use a 

pesticide that has this 

word on its label with 

extreme care because it 

can burn your skin or 

eyes very badly.

When putting bug repellant on children, read all directions first. Do not use over cuts or 

broken skin. Do not apply to eyes, mouth, hands, or 

directly on the face. Use just enough to cover skin or 

clothing. Don’t use it under clothing.

Bug Repellant
-46- -46-

Pesticides

Helpful Tips

Tips For Your Lawn and Garden

• Use lawn seed and plants that grow well in 

your area and fight disease.

• Think about putting up with a few weeds 

or insects, rather than using pesticides.

• Use your muscles. You can keep down weeds 

by hand pulling or hoeing. 

• Clean up dead leaves and debris to get rid of 

homes for pests.

• Make sure you know what the pest or 

problem is before using a pesticide.

• Use pesticides only where the pests are.

• Your local Cooperative Extension office can 

help with lawn and garden care.

Tips For Preparing Food

• Wash and scrub all fruits and vegetables 

 under running tap water.

• After washing, peel fruits and vegetables 

 when possible. 

• Throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables 

 like lettuce and other greens.

• Trim fat from meat and skin from poultry 

 and fish—some pesticides collect in fat.

• Eat lots of different foods from lots of 

 different sources.
-47- -47-

When In Doubt, Check It Out!

✆

• EPA Office of Pesticide Programs, 703/305-5017 

 —www.epa.gov/pesticides

 You can order these publications:

Help! It’s A Roach: A Roach Prevention Activity Book

Citizen’s Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety

10 Tips to Protect Your Family From Pesticide and Lead 

 Poisoning

Pesticides and Child Safety

 Pesticides and Food: What You and Your Family Need 

 to Know

• National Pesticide Information Center

 800/858-7378—www.npic.orst.edu

• Food and Drug Administration Food Safety 

 Information Service Hotline, 888/SAFE-FOOD 

 (888/723-3366), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday 

 through Friday

• The Home*A*Syst handbook gives more details 

 about pesticides and other healthy home topics. 

 608/262-0024—www.uwex.edu/homeasyst

• For more information on non-toxic pest control 

 contact the Bio-Integral Resource Center

 510/524-2567—www.birc.org 

Pesticides

This chapter was written by Kadi Row, University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension. ©2002 University of Wisconsin Extension. All Rights Reserved.

Notes
-48-

Did you know that your chances of getting 

hurt at home are much higher than they 

are at work or school? The leading causes of 

death in the home are falls, drowning, fires, poisoning, 

suffocation, choking, and guns. The good news is that 

there are simple steps you can take to protect yourself 

and your family. This section will help you ask questions to find out if your home is a safe place to live 

and how to make it even safer.

Very young children and older adults are the most 

likely to get hurt at home. Keep 

people’s age in mind when 

thinking about how to keep 

your home safe. 

Falls kill more people than any 

other type of accident beside 

car crashes. Most falls happen 

at home. Most people trip 

and fall at floor level, not 

going up or down stairs. 

Falls can be worse for 

adults than for children. They fall faster and harder than 

children. Their 

bones are weaker, 

so they break more 

easily too.

Young children are curious and get into everyday 

things that can hurt or even kill them. More of them 

become sick or die from eating or drinking common 

items like medicine, makeup, and plants. Children 

like to play with these things because they can 

look or smell good.

For over a decade, the number of 

people who die in fires has gone 

down. Yet fires are still one of the 

main causes of death in the home. 

Older adults are most at risk because 

they may not be able to respond to an 

alarm or get out of a building quickly.

Choking and suffocation also cause 

many deaths in the home. When a person 

chokes, something like a piece of food 

has gotten stuck in their throat and stopped 

their breathing. Suffocation happens when a 

person’s nose, mouth, or throat is blocked and 

they can’t breathe. If someone stops breathing long 

enough they can suffer brain damage or die. Children 

under age four and older adults are the most likely 

to die from choking. People can choke on food, 

or something not meant to be eaten at all, like 

a button or a coin. Sheets, blankets, and plastic 

bags can suffocate people who get caught in them. 

Home Safety

Should You Be Concerned?

Home Safety

FACT In the U.S., more than one million 

children age five and under 

are poisoned each year.

-48-
-49- -49-

Drowning kills more than 1,000 children ages 14 and 

under each year. For every child who drowns, another 

20 children go to the hospital or emergency room 

because they almost drowned. 

It takes just a few easy, fairly low-cost steps to keep 

your children safe from many everyday dangers. The 

questions below and on the next page will help you 

find safety problems at home. Page 51 will give you 

ideas about what to do. Remember, making your 

home safer for everybody may mean taking more 

than one step.

Home Safety

Slips, Trips, and Falls

• Do you keep your floors—especially hallways and 

 stairs—free of things that might make people slip 

 or trip? 

• Are your stairs in good shape?

• Are there throw rugs in your home?

• Do you know the safe way to carry big loads?

• Is your home well lighted?

Is Your Home Poison-Proof?

To poison-proof your home, look through each room 

through the eyes of a child. Is anything that can hurt 

your child within her or his reach? 

Any room can have something in it that can hurt a 

child: the kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, living room, 

basement, garage, or laundry room. Most poisonous 

products are where people keep cleaning supplies. 

(See the chapters on Hazardous Household Products 

page 38 and Pesticides page 42 for more information.)

? Questions to Ask
-50-

Fires and Burns

• Does your house or apartment have at least one 

smoke alarm?

• Where do you store matches and lighters? 

• Have you talked about fire safety with your children?

• Do you have a fire exit plan in case your home 

catches fire?

• Do you use space heaters safely and with a window 

open?

Choking 

• Do you keep a close eye on young children at 

 meals and at playtime? 

• Do you pick out toys that are right for your child’s age? 

Young children like to put things in their mouths. 

Balloons, toys, and toy parts that are small enough to 

fit into a child’s mouth may cause choking. You also 

may not be able to get them out if they get stuck.

Watch Out Around Water

• Do you have a pool or does your child go swimming 

 a lot? 

• Does the pool you use have a fence around it? 

• Do you ever leave toys in the pool? 

• Does your child run around the pool?

• Do you ever visit lakes, beaches, or rivers?

• Do you watch your young children in the bathtub?

Pools are very dangerous for infants and toddlers. A 

toddler who falls in may die or get brain damage. 

Toddlers love to play in the water. But they don’t know 

that even shallow water can hurt or kill them. Running 

children can fall down and hurt themselves badly. 

Children need to be watched around water at all times.

Home Safety

-50-

FACT Carbon monoxide is deadly gas 

you can’t see or smell. It comes from 

combustion appliances like gas heaters, 

furnaces, stoves or dryers. Car exhaust 

also has carbon monoxide. See the 

chapter on carbon monoxide on page 23 

to learn how to protect your family from 

this hidden danger.

To protect 

your 

family, put 

in a carbon 

monoxide 

alarm!

? Questions to Ask
-51- -51-

Home Safety

ACTION STEPS

Prevent Slips, Trips, & Falls

• Keep your floors clear of anything that may 

 cause tripping. Pick up hazards such as 

 toys, shoes and magazines.

• Clean up spills right away so people 

 won’t slip.

• Repair any stairs that are cracked or worn.

• If there are rugs in your home, use non-skid 

 mats and throw rugs.

• When carrying large or heavy loads, make 

 sure you can see where you’re going. Ask 

 for help if you need it.

• Keep your home well lit so you can see 

 where you’re walking at night.

Other tips

• Don’t use chairs or tables as makeshift ladders.

• Wear shoes with non-skid soles and put 

 young children in non-skid socks.

• Teach your children not to run indoors or 

 jump down stairs.

• Teach your children and other family 

 members about the dangers of falling and 

 how to stay safe.

Poison-Proof Your Home

Use this guide to poison-proof your home 

room-by-room:

• Kitchen

 Your kitchen is one of the most dangerous 

 places for a child. Drain openers, detergents, 

 oven cleaners, and other cleaners can hurt 

 you and your children. Put safety latches on 

 all cabinets and drawers with harmful 

 products. Even better, put them in a place 

 that children can’t reach. Children often get 

 into dangerous products while someone is 

 using them. If you can, keep your children 

 out of the room while you’re cleaning.

• Bathroom

 Things in your medicine chest—like medicine, 

 makeup, mouthwash, first aid supplies, 

 deodorants and cleaners can hurt children. 

 Keep these out of their reach. Put a safety 

 latch on your medicine chest.

• Bedroom

 Keep medicine, medications, perfumes, 

 makeup, and cigarettes out of children’s reach.

• Living Room

 Things to look for in the living room are: 

 liquor, cigarettes, furniture polish, lamp oil, 

 and some plants. Keep these out of reach. 

• Garage, Basement, and Laundry Room

 These are some of the most dangerous 

 places in your home. There are lots of 

 chemicals and poisons in them that can hurt 

 or kill a child: bleach, anti-freeze, gasoline, 

 kerosene, car polishes, car batteries, paints, 

 paint removers, mothballs, bug spray, road 

 salt, and more. It’s safest to keep children 

 out of these places altogether. 
-52- -52-

Home Safety

ACTION STEPS, continued

Make sure any medicine is 

stored in child-safe packaging. 

But remember, child safe doesn’t 

mean child-proof, so keep 

medicine out of reach. 

Do you know what to do if someone in your 

home gets poisoned? If you think someone has 

been poisoned, call your local Poison Control 

Center right away at 1-800-222-1222. Keep this 

number next to all of your telephones. Make 

sure you know:

• Brand-name of product

• Type of product

• Contents as listed on label

• About how much the person ate or drank

• How the person came in contact with the 

 poison (mouth, skin, etc.)

• How long the person was in contact with 

 the poison

• The person’s age and weight

• How you tried to help the person, if you did

Prevent Fires and Burns

Put in a smoke alarm on every floor of your 

home in or near every sleeping area. This will cut 

in half the chances of someone dying in a fire. 

Playing with fire—matches, lighters, stoves or 

heaters—is the leading cause of fire-related 

death for children five and under. Storing 

matches, lighters, and other heat sources in a 

safe place like a locked drawer will help keep 

your children from playing with them. Don’t 

let children play near the stove or grill either.

Teach your children how to prevent fires, and 

what to do if there is a fire. It can make the 

difference between life and death. Talk about 

fire safety with your children. Your local fire 

department can help. 

Plan and practice a fire escape route with your 

family. Do this at night and with the lights off 

so you’ll be ready if there is a fire. Take special 

steps for getting children, the elderly, and people 

who may not be able to save themselves out of 

the building. 

Space heaters such as electric or kerosene heaters cause most burns at home. Keep them out 

of doorways, halls, or other busy areas. Also, 

keep them at least three feet from curtains, 

bedding, or other things that could catch fire. 

Teach children that heaters will burn. Even 

better, put up a barrier to keep children and 

pets away.
-53- -53-

Home Safety

ACTION STEPS, continued

Prevent Choking and Suffocation

Everyday foods can cause choking. Hot dogs, 

nuts, popcorn, and hard candy can easily get 

stuck in a small child’s throat. Don’t let your 

young children eat them. Even drinks, like formula, milk, or juice can make babies choke if 

they drink them lying down, especially from a 

bottle. Make sure children drink sitting up. Keep 

a close eye on the young children in your home.

Don’t let your children play with balloons. 

Other household items that can cause problems 

are coins, marbles, and buttons, so keep your 

floor picked up. Finally, don’t let children play 

near cars or old appliances. They can suffocate 

and die if they become trapped in a car trunk 

or old refrigerator. 

Young children can get tangled up and 

suffocate in curtains, window blind cords, and 

extension cords. Plastic bags and covers are also 

dangerous. Don’t tie toys or pacifiers to children’s clothes. Very small children should not 

wear jewelry around their necks.

Toys with small parts or long cords may strangle 

or cause a child under the age of four to choke. 

Read a toy’s package to make sure it’s right for 

your child.

Watch Out Around Water

If you have or use a pool—Watch children 

under the age of 12 at all times around pools. 

Make sure they walk on the pool deck.

All pools, hot tubs, and spas should have a 

fence at least five feet high, with a self-closing, 

self-latching gate around them. It’s important 

that this fence be one that children cannot 

climb. Don’t think of your home as part of the 

fence, because children can open doors to get 

to a pool. 

Take all toys out of the pool area after swimming 

so children won’t go back into the water and 

play by themselves. 

Children should wear life jackets or vests 

while on docks or at beaches or rivers. Never 

let a child swim alone!

Never leave a young child alone in the bathtub. 

Children can drown in only a couple inches 

of water.
-54-

Home Safety

When In Doubt, Check It Out!

✆

-54-

• Your local county Extension Office

 —look in your telephone book

• Your local or state health department

 —look in your telephone book

• For information on product recalls: The Consumer 

 Products Safety Commission at 800/638-2772 

 —www.cpsc.gov 

• National SAFE KIDS Campaign, 202/662-0600 

—www.safekids.org, 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 

Ste. 1000, Washington DC 20004

• The American Red Cross—www.redcross.org

• National Safety Council, 800/621-7619 

 —www.nsc.org

Notes

This chapter was written by Ron Jester, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension. ©2002 University of Wisconsin Extension. All Rights Reserved.

ACTION STEPS, continued

Other Safety Concerns

• Older children and adults should learn first 

 aid and CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) 

 so they can help if someone gets hurt. Your 

 local Red Cross offers classes. 

• Never let children ride on equipment such 

 as lawn tractors. They may get hurt if they 

 fall off.

• Get safety gear like helmets and kneepads 

 for children riding bicycles, in-line skates, 

 ATVs, scooters, and skateboards. Set a good 

 example by wearing safety gear yourself.

• Store guns safely—unloaded and locked up. 

• When traveling by car, make sure that 

 children under 12 ride in the back seat. Use 

 car seats for infants and toddlers under 40 

 pounds. Use booster seats for children until 

 they are eight years old.
-55-

Index

-55-

Alarms, carbon monoxide, 27

Allergies, 1-2, 6-9, 11-20, 42, 44

Asthma, 1-2, 6-9, 11-20, 22-23, 42

Bronchitis, 8

Bleach, 4, 19-21, 34, 38-39, 41-42, 51

Bug Spray, 1, 4, 6, 38, 42, 51

Carbon monoxide, 1-3, 6-7, 9, 15, 23-28

Carpet, 8-9, 13-14, 17-18, 20

Chemicals, 1, 3-5, 7-9, 24, 33-36, 38-40, 42, 51

Choking, 4, 48, 50, 53

Cockroaches, 8, 12, 14, 42, 43, 44

Combustion Appliances, 7, 23, 50

Drinking water, 1, 3, 29, 32-37

Dust, 5-9, 12, 14-15, 29-31, 38, 42

Dust mites, 12, 14-15, 42

Falls, 4, 48-51

Fire Safety, 50, 52

Food, 5, 33, 9, 11, 13-14, 16, 33, 40, 42-44, 

 46-47, 48

Home safety, 1, 4, 48-54

Household products, 1, 4, 7-8, 38-41, 49

Indoor air quality, 1-2, 6-10, 22

Labels, 15, 34, 41, 44

Lead-based paint, 29-31

Lead poisoning, 3, 7, 29-30, 32, 47

Mercury, 38, 40-41

Moisture, 1-2, 17-22

Mold, 1-2, 6-7, 9, 12, 15, 17-22

Pesticides, 1, 4, 6, 14, 33-35, 40, 42-47, 49

Pests, 1, 4, 6, 9, 12, 14, 42-44, 46

Pets, 2, 7-9, 12-13, 15, 21, 39, 42-45, 52

Paint, 3-4, 7, 29-32, 34, 51

Poisons, 1, 34, 51

Radon, 2, 6, 8-10

Signal words, 44

Smoke alarm, 50, 52

Smoke detector, 26

Solvents, 7

Space heaters, 18, 23, 27, 50, 52

Smoking, 7-8, 15, 23-24, 27

Ventilation, 26

Water, 1, 3, 5, 14-15, 18-21, 23, 25, 29-38, 40, 

44, 46

Water Pipes, 3, 29-30, 34

Weeds, 34, 46

Wells, 3, 19, 35-36

Yard, 26, 32
-56- -56-

If you have more questions about the health 

and safety of your home contact:

US Department of Housing and 

Urban Development: 

www.hud.gov/healthyhomes

US Environmental Protection Agency: 

www.epa.gov/children/

Children’s Environmental Health Network: 

www.cehn.org

National Safety Council: www.nsc.org/ehc/

chldhlth.htm

US Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention: 

www.cdc.gov/od/oc/childhealth/

Home*A*Syst: 

www.uwex.edu/homeasyst

The Lead Listing

www.leadlisting.org

Congratulations! Congratulations! Index

You have taken the first step toward a safe and healthy home!