Fact Sheet 

July 2005
 

Safe Steps to Rid 


Your Home and 


Garden of Pests
 

Information for Older Adults and 

Family Caregivers 

Safe use of pesticides 

is important to 

persons of all ages. 

Older adults may 

be more susceptible 

to these chemicals 

because of changes 

their bodies are going 

through as part of the 

normal aging process. 

Many products we use 

inside and outside our 

homes contain strong 

chemicals and poisons. 

These products may come in spray 

cans, as a powder, as a gel, or as a 

liquid. The word “Pesticides” refers to 

all of the following chemicals that are 

applied in the home and garden to 

kill pests. •	 Insecticides kill pests such as 

fleas, mice, ticks, cockroaches, 

spiders, and mosquitoes. 

•	 Herbicides kill weeds, poison ivy, crab grass, and other things 

you do not want in your lawn or 

garden. 

•	 Disinfectants kill germs on sinks, 

tubs, toilets, countertops, and 

other surfaces. 

•	 Rodenticides kill mice and rats. 

Eight out of ten households in the United States use some of these 

pesticides.1 

Dangers of Using Strong 

Chemicals and Poisons 

Insecticides, herbicides, disinfectants, 

and rodenticides can cause health 

problems if they are not used 

carefully. Most health problems are 

caused when a product is not used 

in the right way. A small amount of exposure to these products can 

cause headaches, dizziness, muscle 

twitches, nausea, and weakness. 

These symptoms go away after a 

while. If you use these products 

over a long period of time, or are 

exposed to high concentrations of 

these chemicals, they could cause 

serious health problems. 

Although the government tries to 

remove any pesticide that causes 

long-term effects such as cancer, 

reproductive or neurological 

problems from the market, the 

science and process of regulating 

such risks often takes time. 

Therefore, a sensible precaution is 

to reduce unnecessary pesticide 

use, and when using these 

chemicals, keep exposure to a 

minimum. Grandparents and older 

adults can play an important role 

in keeping pesticides and other 

cleaning products out of the reach 

of children. According to data from 

If you spot symptoms 

of poisoning, call 

the National Poison 

Control Center at 

1-800-222-1222. 

Footnotes:

1 U.S. EPA, National Household Pesticide Usage Study, 1992, Office of Pesticide Programs 

2 National Poison Control Center Data, 1993-1998 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Safety Precautions at Home 

•	 Read the label and follow the precautions. If you have a hard 

time reading the print, ask someone to read the label to you. 

•	 Always keep products in the container they came in. 

•	 Never use an empty container to store anything else. 

•	 Dispose of pesticides according to label instructions. 

•	 Always use outdoor products outdoors. Never use them 

indoors. Do not use them on windy days. 

•	 Before using products outdoors, close the doors and 

windows of your home. 

•	 When treating a large area leave doors and windows open to 

provide plenty of ventilation. 

•	 Keep people and pets away from areas where products such 

as sprays and foggers have been used. The label will tell you 

how long to keep the area clear. 

•	 Only use the product in the problem area, and use only the 

amount that the label says to use. 

•	 After you have used a product, wash the parts of your body 

that might have been exposed. Also wash your clothes. 

the National Poison Center, less 

than three percent of all poisoning 

cases occurred in older adults. 

However, the outcomes for older 

people were more severe than 

for younger people. Nearly 28% 

of all poisoning deaths occur in 

older adults. Scientists suspect that 

problems with vision and memory 

often lead to mistakes in pesticide 

use that would not normally occur 

in younger adults.2 

Children who drink these products 

may become very ill. Hospital 

emergency room surveys suggest 

that children under age six are more 

likely to be harmed by chemicals 

and taken to the emergency room 

while they are visiting with their 

grandparents than in their own 

Publication Number EPA 100-F-05-018 

homes. Older adults should store 

the products in a safe, child-proof 

place when little ones come to visit. 

Protecting Your Health 

While Getting Rid of Pests 

The Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) suggests that you 

use strong chemicals and poisons 

only when absolutely necessary. 

You may want to consider safer 

alternatives too, such as traps, baits, 

and gels instead of sprays, liquids, or 

powders. A first step to avoid or to 

rid your home of pests is to remove 

their food, water, and shelter. 

Learn About EPA’s 

Aging Initiative 

To help older adults enjoy a longer 

and healthier life and protect their 

loved ones, the EPA developed the 

Aging Initiative. The EPA’s Aging 

Initiative is working to protect 

older adults from things in the 

environmental that could harm 

health. For more information, 

visit the EPA’s Web site at 

www.epa.gov/aging. 

To learn more about 

ridding your home of 

pests with non-chemical 

and safer approaches 

call the EPA at (703) 305­

5017. You may also visit 

the EPA’s Web site at 

www.epa.gov/pesticides