The Everyday Products That Could Be Harming Your Health (And Your Wallet)

Average Price: $2-$5*
Market Size Value: $88.7 billion*

Tupperware comes in so many different shapes and sizes to fit our every need. Whether you want to store an army-sized amount of leftovers or just enough for your lunch break, there’s a plastic container out there for you. 

Plastic Food Containers ©goffkein.pro/Shutterstock.com

The trouble is, most plastic containers contain chemicals that end up seeping into our food. This is especially true if you microwave the container. No one wants their leftover casserole with a side of harmful carcinogens, so it might be time to invest in glass or bamboo containers. These can be found for just a couple of dollars on Amazon, so it’s worth the switch.

Average Price: $2*
Market Size Value: $34 billion* 

Antibacterial soap is a wonderful invention that changed the health industry for good. It’s hardly surprising that there’s been a boom in the market over the past couple of years. Currently, worth an estimated $34 billion, the global soap market size is expected to exceed $55 billion by 2027. 

Anti-Bacterial Soap ©Maridav/Shutterstock.com

Even though it’s a product we couldn’t live without, antibacterial soaps can cause issues. For example, strong carbolic soap can lead to skin irritation and long-term issues like dermatitis and eczema. 

Average Price: $3+*
Market Size Value: $4.5 billion*

Hot sauce has been popular for decades, but with more and more concoctions hitting the shelves, it’s more buyable than ever. There are different types to suit different tastes, but while adding some of the red stuff to your eggs may seem tasty and safe, there may be more too it. 

Hot Sauce ©THEBOATZAA /Shutterstock.com

Consuming hot sauce is generally considered to be safe, but eating it too regularly can cause some digestive problems like reflux and irritation of the stomach lining. Many products also have high levels of sodium, which can lead to further health problems if intake isn’t monitored.  

Average Price: $77 for 6 doses*
Market Size Value: $6 billion by 2028*

Having a furry friend at home is a huge comfort to many people, but no one could ever say that being a pet owner is cheap. Anyone that’s ever had a cat or dog knows that keeping up with flea treatment is non-negotiable. The only trouble is, while these medicines help keep the little critters at bay, they aren’t exactly healthy. 

Flea Treatments ©Chutima Chaochaiya/Shutterstock.com

Many flea treatments are packed full of chemicals that aren’t particularly good for humans or pets. In fact, according to CBC, over 2,000 animals have died in North America alone since 2008 after having an adverse reaction to flea treatment. 

Average Price: $4*
Market Size Value: $19 billion (fabric softeners and conditioners)*

Popping a dryer sheet into your laundry as it dries is a great way to pick up any stray lint and keep clothes smelling fresh, but is that all these sheets do? Apparently not. The dryer sheets themselves aren’t necessarily problematic, but the chemicals used to fragrance them could be. 

Dryer Sheets ©Mike Fig Photo/Shutterstock.com

According to Healthline, a 2011 study on the effects of scented products concluded that they can trigger health issues such as allergic reactions, migraine and asthma attacks, and airway irritation. While your laundry might smell great, it could cause you more problems than its worth. 

Average Price: $12*
Market Size Value: $120 billion*

Having fresh, clean clothes is something many of us take for granted, but the companies that produce the products know just how valuable the commodity is. Laundry detergents had a market share of $120 billion in 2019, with a large portion of sales coming from pods. 

Laundry Pods ©Inna Dodor/Shutterstock.com

Pods can be easily thrown into the machine for a no mess, no fuss solution. However, when they aren’t being used they should be stored safely away. There have been numerous instances of children eating the pods as they look like bright, alluring pieces of candy. Needless to say, these pods aren’t designed to be ingested and can cause serious upset. 

Average Price: $3+*
Market Size Value: $1.33 billion*

Parents want their little ones to be clean and smell lovely as much as possible, which is why there’s so much money to be made from baby bath products. Countless companies try to get a slice of the pie by releasing wonderfully scented and supposedly gentle formulas. 

Children's Bubble Bath ©FotoHelin/Shutterstock.com

However, it might surprise some to know that companies can call a product “natural” as long as it contains just 1% of natural ingredients. As a general guide, parents should try to avoid products that contain SLS, perfume, talcum powder, and colorants. 

Average Price: $3+*
Market Size Value: $533.5 million*

Scented candles can often be found decorating shelves and bathroom sides. Companies like Yankee Candle strive to make lots of different varieties so there is something for everyone, but should we be burning them as readily as we do? 

Candles ©Daria Minaeva/Shutterstock.com

Like many other scented products, candles can give off their own set of chemicals. What’s more, if the wick isn’t regularly trimmed then it can smoke when lit, giving off less than ideal fumes into the atmosphere. It’s always best to check what ingredients are in the candle you want before making the purchase. 

Average Price: $3-$8 per roll*
Market Size Value: $234.7 billion*

According to the World Health Organization, PVC and PVDC, two materials commonly used in plastic wrap, can release dioxin, a highly-toxic chemical. This causes issues not only when plastic wrap ends up in incinerators or landfills, but also potentially for your food.

Plastic Wrap ©goffkein.pro/Shutterstock.com

Cooks Illustrated advises that you keep plastic wrap one inch from the surface of your food in order to eliminate potential problems. Though reformulated, newer plastic might not leach harmful chemicals into your food, you still want to get rid of any risks. Also, plastic wrap can only go in the oven at low temperatures, and you should ensure that no plastic is exposed. All of the wrap must be covered in foil.

Average Price: $20-$100*
Market Size Value: $3.08 billion*

According to PLOS One, a dental journal, a 2017 study confirmed that electric toothbrushes caused more dentin abrasion than manual ones. We’ve all seen information about why electric toothbrushes help clean your teeth better than manual ones, but make sure that you are using yours properly.

Electric Toothbrushes ©aragorik/Shutterstock.com

Let the brush do the work. You don’t have to apply as much pressure as you do with a manual toothbrush—if you apply the same pressure, you could cause both soft and hard tissue irritation. Also, don’t use an aggressive technique, and, lastly, don’t think that your electric toothbrush can replace routine dental appointments—it cannot.

Average Price: $3-$5*
Market Size Value: $4.59 billion by 2028*

Be careful cleaning your ears with cotton swabs. We know that it’s tempting, but you should really avoid it. Cedars-Sinai says that these swabs can puncture your ear drums if you stick them too far into your ear canal (a common occurrence, no matter how careful you may be). This, in turn, causes hearing loss.

Cotton Swabs ©fizkes/Shutterstock.com

Cotton swabs, in severe cases, can even damage sensitive structures behind your ear canal, which can cause prolonged vertigo, nausea, vomiting, loss of taste, facial paralysis, and complete deafness. Play it safe—don’t even put a cotton swab into your ear canal. Chewing, jaw movements, and skin regenerating in your ear will push out earwax; you don’t have to.

Average Price: $5-$10*
Market Size Value: $67.35 billion* (Global Baby Product Market)

You should know that teething gel is never a good idea. The U.S. F.D.A. advises strongly against using topical medicine to treat your children’s teething pain. This includes both prescription and over-the-counter creams and gels, as well as homeopathic tablets. Not only do these offer no benefits, but they also have serious risks to them.

Teething Gel ©Stasonych/Shutterstock.com

The active ingredient in these gels is benzocaine, and, if ingested in even a tiny amount, this can poison your baby. There is no evidence that this can even relieve teething pain. According to the Mayo Clinic, rubbing your baby’s gums with wet gauze or a clean finger or using a clean, cool spoon can soothe the pain. 

Average Price: $10-$200*
Market Size Value: $58.5 billion*

Anti-aging products attract a lot of attention because they are cheaper than surgery and Botox, and they promise to remove wrinkles, blotches, and other signs of aging. However, these products can often contain harsh chemicals. Even when they do produce results, they change the user’s skin texture over time, and often for the worse.

Anti-Aging Products ©Jelena Stanojkovic/Shutterstock.com

Dermatologists told The Health Site that there are some working ingredients in the products, such as lactic acid, peptides, and hyaluronic acids, but those should only be used in small doses. Also, as Bustle noted, these creams may cause you to break out if you use them too young, as they can clog young skin, which already produces more oil than older skin. 

Average Price: $2-$6*
Market Size Value: $6.309 billion*

Breath mints are a quick fix when you need to get rid of onion breath. But, be careful ingesting too many of these. Mints are, technically, hard candies. Cooper Smiles says that they can damage your teeth and put you at risk for “tooth decay.” Mints with sugar in them might even worsen your breath.

Breath Mints ©bscmediallc/Shutterstock.com

While sugar-free mints, eaten sparingly, might be a good fix, you don’t want to chew on them daily. Also, remember that they only mask bad breath. They can’t replace flossing, brushing, and using mouthwash. If your breath smells, you need to take actual oral hygiene steps to remove the root cause.