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Risky Moves You’re Making in Your Garage

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Your garage does a good job at protecting your car. But other than that and the fleeting idea and occasional attempt to organize it, you probably don’t give your garage much thought. This lack of attention though can lead to risky garage mistakes.

Garages are often black holes of stuff including dangerous household chemicals and non-kid-friendly tools. Also, because it houses your car, it’s a sponge for carbon monoxide. But with a little attention, you can make your garage less of a den of danger and more of a safe space.

To clear the air and make sure it’s safe to breathe, Reader’s Digest writer Lisa Milbrand advises installing a carbon monoxide detector in your garage. You should already have one on every level of your house. And, it’s best to exit the garage in your car as soon as possible — no idling even with garage doors open.

Since you don’t want toxic chemicals in your house, there’s really no other option than to put them in the garage, right? If you must, Milbrand stresses that any and every dangerous chemical such as antifreeze, fertilizer, and gasoline are located far from grills, lawnmowers, water heaters, and anything else that might pose a combustion risk. Also important is keeping every chemical in a spot your kids can’t access. The same theory applies to tools. Kids are magnets for shiny or rusty items.

“Maintain the same level of care you bring to childproofing your house to your garage,” writes Milbrand.

Clutter is also detrimental to your safety and sanity. Keeping it out of your garage will definitely take some effort. Milbrand suggests utilizing an hour or two regularly to weed through the junk before it gets out of hand.

News Source: Reader’s Digest