Do you use vinyl shower curtains? If you are not sure they usually smell real rubbery/plastic like, the smell can not be confused with any other material. They are popular because they are easy to produce and do not cost all that much and they are usually heavy duty and so they last longer. They are good in the shower because they can be wiped clean easily and water does not soak into vinyl. But did you know that if you use vinyl shower curtains that you are harboring a dangerous product in your home?
It's true, PVC vinyl shower curtains emit toxic chemicals into your air. The bathroom is such a small room, the air in there is already limited. Putting a vinyl shower curtain in there and then heating it up is a health disaster! Vinyl shower curtains can contain very high concentrations of such chemicals as tuolene, enthylbenzene, phenol, methylisobutylketone, and xylene. These chemicals have already been identified by the EPA as hazardous air pollutants and mostly dangerous to your nervous system and liver.
Although the EPA says the chemicals are dangerous they still allow the chemicals to be put into the curtains. The chemicals are most dangerous to children, so if you have young children that are using that bathroom then they are being exposed to these dangerous toxins daily and many times a day. Most showers are longer than 10 minutes, if you think about it a few things happen during a shower that could potentially make these shower curtains even more dangerous.
Number 1, when you heat up a small room you lose oxygen content, 2- paired with the heat it becomes harder to breath so you breath faster and deeper. Standing or sitting right next to the curtain you breath a good amount of the poisons, especially as the curtain heats up and begins to release its chemicals faster. The longer you shower the greater exposure. Benzene (enthylbenzene) alone causes a multitude of nervous disorders including brain cancer and central nervous system damage.
The author has personal experience with benzene poisoning and can verify its health effects. Instead of using these very dangerous shower curtains opt out and go with shower curtains made of natural fibers such as cotton or bamboo. You can also go with glass shower doors that are just as easy to clean and last longer than vinyl if you take good care of them. Your shower if suppose to be a relaxing time and a clean giving time, don't spoil it using chemical laden vinyl shower curtains.
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