Household Items From the Past That Would Never Be Allowed Today

Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab

In the 1950s, the U.S. was in the grip of the Atomic Age, and radiation was all the rage. Scientists were unaware just how dangerous radiation could be in small doses, hence its use in everyday items - and the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab. The Atomic Energy Lab was actually a children’s science kit, containing real samples of uranium and a working geiger counter! It didn’t even provide safety gear. Thankfully, no cases of radiation poisoning were discovered before its 1952 discontinuation over safety concerns.

Miniature Working Ovens & Stoves

Between the 1940s and 1970s, it was acceptable to make ovens and stoves for children that actually worked. Yes, they were real and they could fry or bake small food items. You’ve probably already guessed how unsafe this was. To begin with, there’s the associated fire risks of the stoves, which used open flames from alcohol burners or candles. Then there’s the fact that some of these ovens exploded. And if that wasn’t enough, faulty parts could even electrocute consumers.

Lead-Based Paint

People were using paint containing lead right up until 1978, and older properties may still be at risk from it. The ingredient dried fast, had vibrant colors, acted as an antibacterial agent, and - perhaps more importantly to some - it was cheap. However, it’s also highly toxic. Lead is a neurotoxin, and you don't even have to touch it; just breathing it in is enough. Once inside the body, it can cause permanent damage to bones and the brain. It was especially dangerous to children.

PCBs in Electrical Items

Polychlorinated Biphenyls, or PCBS, were chemically-stable and insulating man-made materials that were used frequently in construction. They found their way into household wiring, and even flooring and paint. The U.S. banned them in 1979, and for good reason. It turned out they had a high degree of toxicity and contaminated the environment for decades to come. They also built up in the human body though, damaging the liver, immune system and posing cancer risks. PCBs even caused reproductive problems

Uranium Glass

cUsed for its green-yellow color, glass containing uranium was created in the 19th and 20th century for decorative household items, such as tableware, vases and drinking glasses. Its use in eating and drinking utensils and breakable ornamentation put consumers at risk. Uranium glows because it’s radioactive, and even in small amounts, long-term exposure is potentially dangerous. Inhaling its dust particles can cause lung damage and prolonged contact causes greater risk of cancer. Uranium glass is still developed today, but rarely and with restrictions.

Milk Stored in Leaded Containers

Before the dangers of lead were understood, it was used in all kinds of different materials, including for food and drink preparation. Milk was just one example: lead was used in a glaze to line the glass bottles, or soldered into metal cans. Not only did lead prove to be a bad choice for a preservative, it also had an arguably worse result than letting the milk go bad. Over time, the lead leached into the milk, which accelerated the process and caused lead poisoning.

Early Electric Blankets

For a large chunk of the 1900s, people using electric blankets were just as liable to experience the loss of property and life as they were to keep warm. Electric blankets were highly flammable and had no safety precautions like modern ones do. Combine that with the faulty wiring in the electric blankets, and you had a cover that could blister or burn you, and that’s one of the less severe results. The lack of grounding and poor wiring electrocuted some, or set them on fire as they slept.

Asbestos Insulation

When it was first discovered asbestos seemed like it was the perfect material for building. It was heat and fire resistant, electricity resistant and even soundproof, so it’s no wonder it was used in house insulation. People didn’t realize how dangerous it actually was. Once asbestos is disturbed, it releases fibers into the air that damages the lungs, and causes cancer. One kind - mesothelioma - is only found in cases of asbestos exposure. While it’s technically not banned in the U.S., its use is heavily restricted.

Gas Lamps

Before electricity was commonplace in every home, people used gas to power their lamps, which proved much brighter than oil or candles. Coal, Kerosene or natural gases were the go-to fuel source, but gas is not indoor-friendly, to say the least. Even if you discount how gas could leak from the lamps if it wasn’t turned off properly, or the danger of fires and explosions from a combination of gas and flame, there’s still carbon monoxide poisoning, which builds up quickly in enclosed spaces.

Mercury Thermometers

Mercury’s a very flexible metal, and in liquid form it evenly expands when temperature changes. It seemed like a great application for thermometers and barometers, until it was discovered to be incredibly toxic. If a device broke, the mercury inside evaporated and was then inhaled. The result was mercury poisoning, which invades the lungs, brain and kidneys of sufferers. In addition to permanent respiratory and nerve damage, it can also cause hearing loss and difficulty both walking and talking, among other nasty side effects.

Arsenic-Laced Wallpaper

There are reasons why many associate poison with the color green, and arsenic is the primary culprit. Known for its bright green coloration, arsenic was popular among the affluent who weren't aware of its insidious effects: a poisonous dust that flaked off the wallpaper. Overexposure to arsenic can turn chronic, causing sores to develop on people’s skin, weakness and nausea. But it got worse, and eventually organs start to fail. This process is speeded up by mold, which causes a reaction in the arsenic, creating toxic gas.

Formaldehyde in Furniture & Insulation

Widely known for its preservative properties, formaldehyde also acted as a powerful fire-resistant adhesive produced at low cost, so it was introduced to the furniture and insulation industry. Of course, it came with risks which were unknown at the time. You see, formaldehyde releases a gas when it breaks down, affecting the eyes and organs of anyone exposed to it. Irritation, headaches and breathing issues follows, and it even puts victims at increased risk of cancer.

Lawn Darts

Between the 1950s-1980s, safety standards for children were irrelevant, as the case of lawn darts (or Jarts) proves. They were an outdoor throwing game where players hurled sharp metal darts at targets, but they weren’t just pointed; they were also heavy, and flung at high speeds. The “game” was officially banned in 1988, but not before 6,000 injuries where eyes, organs and skulls were pierced. Tragically, there was also a fatality: one rogue dart killed a 7-year-old girl, leading to the banning of Jarts.

Gilbert Glass Blowing Set

The Gilbert brand was known for its science kits, so when it released a glass blowing kit for children too, the product was considered educational - at least, to begin with. The kit contained a gas torch with an open flame, but that was just one dangerous aspect Glass blowing involves heating the glass to extreme temperatures, which can cause serious burn injuries. Then there’s the risk of shattered glass from cooling it too quickly, and the fumes from the burner itself. The kit was retired by the 1950s.

Toy Guns With Realistic Designs

In 1988, toy guns were required by law to have an orange tip. That’s because, until then, they were designed to be as realistic-looking as possible to reflect the consumer’s fascination with wild west and war films. It was a dangerous decision.  Not only were these guns used by criminals to fool their victims, the police also found them easy to confuse with the real deal. This ultimately led to the shooting of several young people and teenagers who were considered armed and dangerous.

Clackers

If you’ve never heard of clackers, they were a pair of heavy balls connected by string that players - usually children - would bash together, competing with each other to get the best sound. The balls weren’t just heavy; they were made of glass or acrylic. Considering their purpose, it’s no surprise they were prone to shattering, which resulted in shards of glass or plastic exploding into children’s hands and faces, and causing damage to players’ eyes. Even if they didn’t shatter, clackers could break bones!

Creepy Crawlers Heating Set

In the 1960s, Mattel released a children’s toy that allowed them to create their own rubber critters, but despite offering a chance for kids to make their own colorful, personalized toys, there was a catch: the heating unit for cooking liquid rubber. It could reach temperatures of 300°F, which posed both a serious fire risk and put children in danger of burning themselves. Then there were the chemicals released in the melting process, which resulted in the entire thing being a safety hazard.

Water Wiggle Sprinkler Toy

In 1962 a water toy called the Water Wiggle hit the market that was designed to attach to a hose and blast unpredictable water jets. Unfortunately, it became infamous for being unsafe and ended in two child fatalities before its recall and discontinuation. The danger came from several sources. The unpredictable movements of the toy could injure children - it broke teeth on occasion - but its plastic head was the worst. It was prone to detaching, exposing metal interiors and creating a deadly vacuum.

BB Guns for Young Kids

Although BB guns were used as a way to teach kids firearms safety, they were actually unsafe for many reasons, not the least of which is their resemblance to real guns. Then there’s the ammunition; BB guns use compressed gas to fire small, metal pellets. These projectiles shoot at high velocity - much too high for children - and are capable of blinding victims who get shot in the eye. Some of them are even powerful enough to penetrate skin, break bones or in extreme cases, damage organs.

Antique Ice Boxes

If you can imagine it, before refrigerators were a thing, people had ice boxes to store their cold goods, which utilized chunks of ice delivered by a vendor and used until they melted. The very notion should raise red flags on unhygienic practices. There were so many issues, from the lead in the boxes, to the bacteria that bred in such a moist environment and the pests they attracted. Even the ice was usually sourced from possibly contaminated sources, such as ponds and rivers.

Early Wooden Cutting Boards

Wooden cutting boards on the market now are made from wood with antibacterial properties, or treated with sealant to ensure hygiene. However, this didn’t used to be the case, and they were a bacterial hotspot for many a home kitchen. The wood acted as a sponge for moisture and just soaked it up, giving germs a chance to slip into the grain (or any knife cuts that were inevitably made in the board’s surface). It was a haven for nasty contaminants.

Early Nonstick Pans

Before modern nonstick cookware, older pans used Teflon, or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) for a similar effect. And while it was thought to be healthy - it promoted the use of less butter or oil - there were, in fact, many hidden health risks. When the pans were heated above 500°F, teflon became toxic and released poisonous gases that were potent enough to kill pet birds. PFOA, another chemical used to bond telfon, also built up in the body over time, causing organ damage, birth defects and even cancer.

Home Canning Kits

Even though they were popular at the time, the home canning kits of the early 20th century were dangerous. They weren’t like the pressure canning of modern industry; instead, they relied on water baths, pressure cookers, wax seals and jars. The seals were prone to leakages and were often improperly sealed, which led to contamination in the jars. Plus, a bacteria called Clostridium botulinum thrived in such environments, inflicting a deadly illness called botulism on unwary consumers.

Radium Paint

The “fun” thing about radium - at least to companies pre-1940s - is that it glows in the dark, so it was used in a variety of consumer products, such as luminous watches and clocks, as well as beauty products, energy drinks and toothpaste. It is also dangerously radioactive, and not just to consumers. The women who painted glowing watch dials in factories were told it was safe, but licking their paintbrushes to get a finer tip resulted in terrible cancers and jaw necrosis.

Arsenic Pills for Skin Whitening

Back in the 18th and 19th centuries, the wealthy and affluent saw pale complexions as a mark of success. So a concoction of different skin-whitening products came out all with a common ingredient: Arsenic. It did whiten the skin, but not in a healthy way. The poison destroyed red blood cells leading to a paler complexion (and anemia), thinned skin making it look healthy at a terrible cost and slowly poisoned users over time.

Lysol as a Feminine Hygiene Product

You might recognize the name Lysol as a disinfectant product, though that wasn’t always the case. Between the 1920s and 1950s, it was sold to the public as a component for vaginal douching, claiming to be beneficial to women’s hygiene. It was actually toxic. Lysol contained cresol, a chemical that burned sensitive skin, damaged organs and caused internal infections. The deadliest result was septic shock, though, which shut down multiple organs and killed some unfortunate consumers.

Early Hair Dryers

Hair drying products became much safer in the 1970s, but before then a collection of dangerous “beauty products” hit the market. Early offerings were powered by gas and kerosene, which didn’t just overheat and cause fires - they also electrocuted their users. The standing hood and bonnet dryers that followed were not much of an improvement. Both were prone to faulty engineering, with the former causing heat stroke from lack of temperature control, and the latter actually burning hair!

Cocaine-Based Toothache Drops

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, cocaine was misunderstood, and was considered something of a medical marvel because of its painkilling properties - doctors recommended it for children and babies. And so, cocaine-based toothache drops hit the shelves. Of course, now we know better. It helped in the short term but soon hooked consumers into addiction, wracked them with violent behavior, damaged hearts and even sometimes killed people. It didn’t help teeth and gums either; it ultimately made them worse!

Tobacco Smoke Enemas

If you need further proof that medical advancements have come a long way, consider the 17th and 18th century when tobacco smoke enemas were performed on patients suffering from everything, drowning and headaches included. The procedure was exactly what it sounds like.  Doctors would pump tobacco smoke into the patient’s rectum, apparently under the impression it would remove toxins, help digestion and aid respiration. It did none of those things, but the nicotine did prove toxic enough to be fatal for some people.

Snake Oil & Patent Medicines

There was such a thing as real snake oil - it was a traditional Chinese medicine using water snake products that aided inflammation - but unscrupulous U.S. salesmen created their own version… with whatever they had to hand. Fake snake oils and patent medicines (supposed miracle cures) were filled with all kinds of things, including morphine, opium or cocaine, alcohol or even toxic materials such as lead or arsenic that poisoned consumers with prolonged use.

Flammable Celluloid Film in Home Movies

From the 1800s to the 1950s, celluloid was used in everything from home photographs to Hollywood films. It was cheap and produced images of great quality for the time, but celluloid is nitrate-based, and had some questionable qualities that wouldn’t pass today’s safety standards. The tiniest spark could set it alight for one, but it had a tendency to burn, anyway. You see, the nitrate decomposed and spontaneously set on fire even with small degrees of heat. This, in turn, released a poisonous gas called nitrogen dioxide.

Early Space Heaters

Early space heaters were the equivalent of central heating for the better part of the 1900s, and while the idea was there, the engineering, unfortunately, was lacking. No safety shut-off, no grounding and reliance on gas fuel made for a deadly combination. No safety shut-offs led to space heaters setting properties on fire if they were knocked over or overheated and poor wiring resulted in electrocution. Since the heaters used gas indoors, they also exposed consumers to lethal carbon monoxide poisoning, ultimately leading to suffocation.

Candlelit Christmas Trees

There’s a certain festive feel to flickering warm lights in the Xmas season, but in the U.S. during the 1800s and early 1900s, people went to extremes to capture the Christmas spirit. They put real candles on their trees! The combination of dry wood and open flames were a fire hazard waiting to happen… and it did happen. Many house fires in the period are attributed to candlelit Christmas trees, and even against fire service advice, many families still used them.

Two-Prong Electrical Outlets

In case you didn’t know, a grounding wire is an electrical failsafe to control errant (and harmful) currents. However, pre-1960 homes had two-prong electrical outlets, which didn’t include grounding wires, and therefore no protection for the inhabitant. This was both a fire and an electrical hazard, of course, but it ran deeper than that. Water exposure from kitchens and bathrooms posed more of a risk and the wiring was even more vulnerable to lightning strike.

Old Metal Playground Equipment

Many designers used to think that metal in a playground was a good idea. It was a solid material that could withstand a lot of punishment from kids, and was quick and easy to create. There were heavy drawbacks to health and safety, though. Metal rusts, becoming sharp and dangerous when damaged. This puts kids at risk of serious injury and tetanus. There’s also the sun; too much exposure heats up the metal and gives children nasty burns.

Spring-Loaded Reclining Chairs

Recliners use a system of springs and mechanisms to lower or raise in response to lever pulls from the consumer. And while modern recliners have safety locks in place to prevent accidents, older models did not. Lots of unwanted snapping and springing in early recliners followed, trapping people or sending them flying back without warning. Their exposed mechanisms could also easily damage hands and feet caught in them.

Early Children’s Car Seats

Before the 1960s, children’s car seats were designed to elevate a child so their parents could watch them and limit the kid’s movement to prevent misbehavior. Safety had nothing to do with the design. The result was that they had no seat belts or ways to keep the child in the car should a crash happen, and the seats weren’t locked in place. They were more likely to damage a child than protect one.

Hand-Cranked Washing Machines

Before the washing machines of today, models were cranked manually with a lever and fed through a set of rollers to squeeze clothes clean. Hopefully, the danger of this is obvious, but there’s more to it than that. There’s the danger posed to limbs caught in the rollers, which could lead to crushed bones or even missing limbs. The machines were also badly wired, and unpredictable electricity being in close proximity to water was never going to end well.