Illinois Collectors: 7 Items Might Be Ruining Your Home

Give me a Saturday morning, a Red Bull, and a few antique shops and I'll be a happy camper. Literal heaven for me.

After learning that a lot of the stuff I might be collecting can really be dangerous for my health, I'm starting to pick and choose what I bring into my home. If you love to collect antiques, vintage goods, or anything old-school, this might be helpful for you, as well.

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These 7 Household Items Might Be Ruining Your Home & Health

Many people are collectors nowadays. Over the last five years, thrifting has become a huge hobby for many in Illinois, me included! Lots of people on TikTok spend hours at resale shops with little flashlights seeing if an of the items they want have lead in them. It's a thing, I've seen so many people do it while I'm shopping!

Here are seven things that could be dangerous for your home and your health.

Antique Lead-Based Paint Decor
Vintage Arsenic-Treated Fabrics
Old Porcelain Dolls with Toxic Paint
Dusty Comic Book Collections
Retro Neon Signs with Hazardous Gases
Old Vinyl Records
Rusty Metal Collectibles

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Now, I'm not saying I'll stop thrifting anytime soon, but I will definitely be more careful about what comes in and out of my house now. Even though "vintage charm" sounds very intriguing, they could come with lots of toxins we don't need to be exposed to! Aesthetic is great, but if it's making your house—and you—sick, you don't need it.