‘Catastrophic death expert’ says there’s three common objects he would definitely not have in his house

A Pennsylvania catastrophic death and injury lawyer has named three everyday household objects you immediately need to throw in the bin.

Following the rise of 'cleaning influencers' - yes, they do actually exist - keeping a spotless home has never been more aspirational.

And in order to maintain a show home level of cleanliness, many of us will have kitchen cabinets filled with copious amounts of chemicals marketed at killing bacteria and giving us a super shiny home.

But have any of us ever considered the potential side effects of using so many chemicals inside our homes?

According to lawyer Tommy Bosworth (@tommythelawyer) who specialises in catastrophic injury and regularly shares his advice on TikTok, there are three everyday items you should not have in your home - and some of them may surprise you.

Air fresheners

Marketed as a quick and easy way to keep your home smelling fresh - or overwhelmingly like synthetic citrus fruits - air fresheners are a common staple in many family homes.

However Tommy told his followers to unplug their 'fresh cotton' or 'cherry blossom' scented fragrances right away as they contain chemicals you don't want to be breathing in every day.

"They a lot of [the] time contain formaldehyde which is a highly toxic and cancerous chemical," he explained.

Carpet shampoo

Next on the list of items Tommy urged viewers to chuck in the bin was carpet shampoo.

Hailed as a holy grail by anyone who's prone to spilling drinks, these products also contain numerous chemicals which can be dangerous to breathe in.

"They often contain dangerous chemicals [such as] perchloroethylene, which is a dangerous carcinogen which can damage the liver, kidneys and nervous system," he said.

Looks like it's time to swap out your carpets and invest in wooden floors.

Furniture polish

Last on Tommy's list was furniture polish, with the lawyer explaining that some of the products which are used to clean and polish wood can contain cancerous chemicals, highlighting ingredients such as 'phenol and nitrobenzene' as ones to be wary of due to their link to skin and lung cancers.

However, it's worth noting that research shared by the UK government and US Environmental Protection Agency shows it is not known to cause cancer in humans.

Viewers were left divided by the video, with several asking for creators to make recommendations of products to use alongside ones to avoid, while others stated they always try to avoid using chemical products where possible.

It's also worth pointing out that several cleaning products come with warnings and directions for usage written on the back - which none of us have actually ever read - meaning this is probably a good reminder for us all to open a window next time we decide to do some spring cleaning.