Nearly every household uses products containing hazardous materials or chemicals. Although the risk of a chemical accident is slight, knowing how to handle these products and how to react during an emergency can reduce the risk of injury.
Before a Household Chemical Emergency
The following are guidelines for buying and storing hazardous household chemicals safely:
Buy only as much of a chemical as you think you will use. Leftover material can be shared with neighbors or donated to a business, charity or government agency. For example, excess pesticide could be offered to a greenhouse or garden center and theater groups often need surplus paint. Some communities have organized waste exchanges where household hazardous chemicals and waste can be swapped or given away.
Keep products containing hazardous materials in their original containers and never remove the labels unless the container is corroding. Corroding containers should be repackaged and clearly labeled.
Never store hazardous products in food containers.
Never mix household hazardous chemicals or waste with other products. Incompatibles, such as chlorine bleach and ammonia, may react, ignite or explode.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructors for the proper use of the household chemical.
Never smoke while using household chemicals.
Never use hair spray, cleaning solutions, paint products, or pesticides near an open flame (e.g., pilot light, lighted candle, fireplace, wood burning stove, etc.) Although you may not be able to see or smell them, vapor particles in the air could catch fire or explode.
Clean up any chemical spill immediately. Use rags to clean up the spill. Wear gloves and eye protection. Allow the fumes in the rags to evaporate outdoors, then dispose of the rags by wrapping them in a newspaper and placing them in a sealed plastic bag in your trash can.
Dispose of hazardous materials correctly. Take household hazardous waste to a local collection program. Check with your county or state environmental or solid waste agency to learn if there is a household hazardous waste collection program in your area.
Post the number of the emergency medical services and the poison control center by all telephones. In an emergency situation, you may not have time to look up critical phone numbers. The national poison control number is (800) 222-1222.
During a Household Chemical Emergency
Get out of the residence immediately if there is a danger of fire or explosion. Do not waste time collecting items or calling the fire department when you are in danger. Call the fire department from outside (a cellular phone or a neighbor’s phone) once you are safely away from danger.
Stay upwind and away from the residence to avoid breathing toxic fumes.
Recognize and respond to symptoms of toxic poisoning including:
Difficulty breathing
Irritation of the eyes, skin, throat, or respiratory tract
Changes in skin color
Headache or blurred vision
Dizziness
Clumsiness or lack of coordination
Cramps or diarrhea
If someone is experiencing toxic poisoning symptoms or has been exposed to a household chemical, call the national poison control center at 1 (800) 222-1222 and find any containers of the substance that are readily available in order to provide requested information.
Follow the emergency operator or dispatcher’s first aid instructions carefully. The first aid advice found on containers may be out of date or inappropriate. Do not give anything by mouth unless advised to do so by a medical professional.
After a Household Chemical Emergency
Discard clothing that may have been contaminated. Some chemicals may not wash out completely.
There are probably many hazardous materials throughout your home. Take a tour of your home to see where these materials are located. Use the list of common hazardous household items to guide you in your hunt. Once you have located a product, check the label and take the necessary steps to ensure that you are using, storing and disposing of the material according to the manufacturer’s directions.
It is critical to store household chemicals in places where children cannot access them. Remember that products such as aerosol cans of hair spray and deodorant, nail polish and nail polish remover, toilet bowl cleaners and furniture polishes all fall into the category of hazardous materials.
HAZARDOUS HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
Cleaning Products
Oven cleaners
Drain cleaners
Wood and metal cleaners and polishes
Toilet cleaners
Tub, tile, shower cleaners
Bleach (laundry)
Pool chemicals
Indoor Pesticides
Ant sprays and baits
Cockroach sprays and baits
Flea repellents and shampoo
Bug sprays
Houseplant insecticides
Moth repellents
Mouse and rat poisons and baits
Automotive Products
Motor oil
Fuel additives
Carburetor and fuel injection cleaners
Air conditioning refrigerants
Starter fluids
Automotive batteries
Transmission and brake fluid
Antifreeze
Workshop/Painting Supplies
Adhesives and glues
Furniture strippers
Oil- or enamel-based paint
Stains and finishes
Paint thinners and turpentine
Paint strippers and removers
Photographic chemicals
Fixatives and other solvents
Lawn and Garden Products
Herbicides
Insecticides
Fungicides/wood preservatives
Miscellaneous
Batteries
Mercury thermostats or thermometers
Fluorescent light bulbs
Driveway sealer
Other Flammable Products
Propane tanks and other compressed gas cylinders
Kerosene
Home heating oil
Diesel fuel
Gas/oil mix
Lighter fluid
DHS Publications
Chemical Attack: Warfare Agents, Industrial Chemicals and Toxins. A Fact sheet from the National Academies and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
RELATED WEBSITES
Find additional information on how to plan and prepare for a tornado and learn about available resources by visiting the following websites:
- American Red Cross
- EPA Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention
PREPARE-1 
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