Beyond the Shaker: 12 Unexpected Household Toxins Stressing Your Kidneys

9. Garden Chemicals Tracked Inside: Herbicides and Fertilizers

Lawn and garden products like herbicides and fertilizers can cling to shoes, clothing and pet fur, introducing residues indoors. Some active ingredients used outdoors have been studied for associations with kidney harm in heavily exposed workers. Inside the home, transfer residues create low-level exposures that add up over time, especially in households with frequent garden work. Cut indoor exposure by leaving shoes at the door, changing contaminated clothing after gardening, and washing hands and pets before they come inside. Store garden chemicals in a locked, well-ventilated shed or garage rather than in the kitchen or other living areas. When possible, favor mechanical weed control and targeted, minimal-use approaches. Those small behavior shifts reduce residue tracked into shared spaces and lower cumulative chemical load on family members’ kidneys.

10. Electronics and Flame Retardants: Dust as a Pathway

Many electronics and older upholstered furnishings contain flame retardant chemicals such as PBDEs. Over time these compounds migrate into house dust, and dust is a common way people—especially young children—get exposed. Some flame retardants are persistent and have been linked in studies to metabolic and organ effects. While the direct evidence tying everyday household dust exposure to kidney disease is still evolving, dust control is a low-effort way to lower total chemical exposure. Reduce dust by using a vacuum with a HEPA filter, wet-dusting surfaces, and washing hands before meals. When replacing furniture or electronics, look for items with current safety standards that avoid older classes of flame retardants. These routine cleaning and purchasing choices help limit one of the less obvious routes chemicals use to enter the body.