Detox your garage of garbage that might be unsafe

Garages often become the dumping ground for toxic substances you’d rather not have inside your home. If you have been meaning to clear out your garage perhaps now would be a great time to also get rid of the items which could make you or your family sick.

Here are some of the most toxic substances often found in garages:

Carbon monoxide (CO):

A colourless, odourless, and tasteless poisonous gas, slightly less dense than air which can be deadly in enclosed spaces. It is produced by incomplete burning of any fuel, so will build up in your garage if you are idling you car, running a generator or a charcoal burner inside the garage without adequate ventilation.

Used motor oil:

Leftover from DIY servicing of all types of engines from vehicles to lawnmowers, used motor oil is full of toxic compounds, many of which can cause cancer. Exposure to used motor oil may also contribute to heart problems.

Toluene:

Found in many paints, thinners, lacquers, wood putty and petrol, toluene exposure can cause people to have a higher risk for liver and kidney damage, as well as being thought to be responsible for miscarriages.

Benzene:

Found in many paints, paint thinners, cleaning liquids and used to clean painting tools, as well as in petrol, motor oils and resins, benzene is toxic if swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. Use gloves and protective masks if you are working with this substance, it is carcinogenic, so even if it doesn’t make you sick straight away, it can cause health issues further down the road.

Lead:

Lead is present in exhaust fumes, even from unleaded fuel engines, as well as old paint. If you ingested or inhale lead it can, even at low doses, affect almost every organ in the body. Exposure to lead is particularly dangerous to children.

Braai lighters and briquettes:

These stable items for many South African households can be very toxic and should be stored with care.

Often they contain petroleum distillates, some of which might contain benzene and lead to the release of carcinogenic benzopyrene when burned.

Safety first

If you have children, make sure you have a lockable storage cabinet, preferably with a ventilation grill to safely lock away any items which are poisonous or flammable such as paint thinners, garden fertilizer and weed killer, paints and automotive oils or fuels for machines like lawn mowers. In the case of a fire in your garage, knowing all the dangerous items are together in one place can also help firefighters prevent a small fire from becoming a big one. Make sure to put a sign on the door of the cabinet indicating it contains hazardous material.