Your house can be more dangerous than you think

Soap may seem to be keeping germs at bay, but in many homes, it’s doing harm. Surprisingly, there are items lurking in most homes that are unhealthy because they’re old or contain harmful ingredients.

The good news? These things can be tossed to make the home healthier.

PROBLEM: ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP WITH TRICLOSAN

Why it’s harmful: This was believed to be more effective than regular soap, but a 2013 Food and Drug Administration report found that long-term daily use of the active ingredient triclosan may have unanticipated hormonal effects and may lead to antibiotic resistance.

Make a healthy home: Although the agency continues to collect additional information on antibacterial soaps and body washes, consumers should wash their hands with plain soap and water. If those aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol, said Andrea Fischer, FDA spokeswoman.

PROBLEM: OLDER FLOORING

Why it’s harmful: Many people don’t realize that older flooring can contain cancer-causing asbestos, a significant threat. Especially in homes built before 1980, asbestos was used in a variety of construction products ranging from vinyl floor tiles to cement, said Elizabeth Ward, senior vice president of intramural research with the American Cancer Society.

Asbestos, which is a mineral fiber, was added to numerous products to provide heat insulation and to make them resistant to fire, but breathing asbestos can increase your risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Make a healthy home: If the flooring is in good condition and you don’t need to touch it or bother it, you can leave it alone, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports. Asbestos in good condition won’t release asbestos fibers, and there’s no danger unless the fibers are released.

But if it’s damaged or if you’re going to renovate your home, you need a professional to remove the asbestos. It’s tricky because you can’t tell if something contains asbestos by looking at it, so you should treat everything as if it contains asbestos or have a professional take a sample for analysis.

PROBLEM: PRESSED WOOD

Why it’s harmful: Formaldehyde is released from the resin, which could be on paneling or veneers, said Dr. Albert Rizzo, senior medical adviser to the American Lung Association and section chief of pulmonary/critical care medicine with the Christiana Care Health System in Delaware.

The average home has more than 25 parts per billion of formaldehyde in the air, and levels between 40 and 500 parts per billion can cause health issues, according to the California Air Resources Board, which said formaldehyde causes 115 cancer cases per million people because many homes have more than 200 parts per billion.

Make a healthy home: Newer pressed wood is the worst culprit. In older materials, the formaldehyde stops being released after it’s been ventilated for a while. The time it takes varies depending on the degree of ventilation of the room and the size of the item.

If you can’t get rid of the pressed wood, try airing the room out as often as possible. You’ll know the air is improving if you feel better in it (you won’t cough as much or feel stuffy, especially if you’re susceptible to asthma or hay fever, Rizzo said).