25 Surprising Everyday Objects That Can Kill You

Posted by , Updated on January 9, 2024

We’re all aware of the normal things that can kill you, like guns, heart disease, and mosquitoes. But, what about the everyday objects? You might be surprised about the stuff lying around your house that could kill you. From medicines to sports equipment, plenty of things have the potential to instantly send you to the grave. One wrong move or being at the wrong place at the wrong time can end things pretty quickly. It’s not a great thought, but knowing the hazards around you might also save your life. Curious to find out what deadly objects are near you? Here are 25 Surprising Everyday Objects That Can Kill You.

Video
play-rounded-fill

25

Golf Club

golf clubSource: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/shafted/

It might sound weird, but golf is a dangerous sport, with golf clubs being the prime killer. For instance, in 1994, a burgeoning golf player named Jeremy Brenno struck a bench with his No.3 Wood golf club. The golf club broke, bounced back, and pierced him in the heart, killing him. This wasn’t an isolated incident either. 15-year-old Rafael Naranjo swung a five-iron at a fire hydrant, it broke off and became lodged in his neck. Two others also suffered similar fates.

24

Manholes

manholesSource: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Five-die-every-day-due-to-fall-in-pits-manholes/articleshow/14570927.cms

You’re walking down the road, minding your own business when the next thing you know you’re falling in a treacherous and deadly manhole. It might sound crazy, but in India alone, 1,843 lives were lost in 2011 due to such accidents.

23

Hot Tub

hot tubSource: https://www.seattlepi.com/national/article/Someone-drowns-in-a-tub-nearly-every-day-in-1201018.php

You might want to think twice before dipping into a warm, bubbling hot tub. People die all the time in them. From the period of 1999 to 2003, 1,676 Americans lost their lives in a tub. Usually, people had one too many drinks and drowned.

22

Scarf

scarfSource: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dancer-isadora-duncan-is-killed-in-car-accident

Scarfs might be good looking accessories, but they can also kill. While there aren’t statistics on the matter, in 1927, dancer Isadora Duncan was strangled to death when her scarf was caught in the hubcaps of her car. It pulled her right out of the convertible and dragged her along the cobblestone street.

21

Beds

bedSource: https://www.indy100.com/article/kim-kardashian-shares-statistics-americans-more-likely-to-die-falling-bed-7552691

Sleeping in your soft, warm bed is likely one of your favorite things to do. Yet, it can also kill you. According to a study done by the CDC, 737 Americans died annually from 2004-2014 by falling out of bed. You’re more likely to die from falling out of bed than being killed by a terrorist.

20

Electric Blanket

electric blanketSource: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/455045.stm

Along with beds, your blankets can kill you, too. Well, at least, your electric blankets. Older electric blankets are especially deadly. They cause around 5,000 fires and 20 deaths a year.

19

Icicles

iciclesSource: http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/12/14/death-by-icicle-falling-ice-causes-record-number-of-injuries-in-st-petersburg/

If you live in hot climates, you don’t really need to worry about icicles. But, those that live in the northern tundra definitely need to stay on guard. During the winter, icicles can be especially deadly. They cause several injuries and deaths each year.

18

Tylenol

tylenolSource: https://www.propublica.org/article/tylenol-mcneil-fda-behind-the-numbers

Tylenol or any over the counter drug that’s Acetaminophen can help relieve pain. Unfortunately, it’s also been known to be abused, causing liver damage and death by overdosing. A study by the FDA linked the medication to 980 deaths a year.

17

Hot Water

boiling waterSource: http://tylervigen.com/view_correlation?id=48876, http://tylervigen.com/view_correlation?id=48876

We all know hot water can be dangerous, but because it’s relatively controlled in the house, we don’t think much of it. Well, think again. On average, 30 to 50 people die a year because of hot water from the tap. This might have even increased thanks to the “hot water challenge” where kids are dared to drink boiling water.

16

Anbesol

anbesolSource: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/25/warning--fda-issues-alert-that-topical-anesthetics-may-kill-you.aspx

When you or your child has a toothache or canker sore, you might have used Anbesol to help relieve the pain. But, as it turns out, the FDA has warned the medicine with the active ingredient benzocaine could kill you. If used, there’s a potential for developing Methemoglobinemia which reduces the oxygen carried through the bloodstream. You could develop shortness of breath, get blue in the face, and potentially die.

15

Escalators

escalatorSource: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nioshtic-2/20039852.html

They’re found in malls all across America, and they’re all trying to kill you. Secretly, you probably knew they were dangerous but didn’t want to say anything. Well, the CDC reports that 30 people die every year from escalator accidents, and about 17,000 are seriously injured.

14

Vending Machines

vending machineSource: http://pureoldies941.com/news/25-shocking-things-more-likely-to-kill-you-than-a-shark/

From 1978 to 1995, 37 people were killed trying to get a product from a vending machine. That’s an average of 2.18 deaths a year. You’re more likely to die from a vending machine than a shark.

13

Toothpaste

toothpasteSource: https://academic.oup.com/ajcp/article/144/suppl_2/A018/1772326

It helps keep your teeth clean, free of cavities, and smelling fresh, but like most things, if toothpaste is improperly used, it could kill you. While you should only put a pea size amount on a toothbrush, in one rare case a suicidal woman ate about 200 ml of toothpaste, causing her death due to fluoride toxicity.

12

Magnets

magnetsSource: https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/federal-advocacy/Pages/AAP-Alerts-Pediatricians-to-Dangers-of-Magnet-Ingestions.aspx

Magnets can be fun to put on your refrigerator or used for other utilities, but they’re a serious danger if you accidentally swallow them. Which makes them especially dangerous for children. When tiny magnets get into your intestines, they can break through the lining and cause serious internal damage.

11

Headphones

headphonesSource: https://www.livescience.com/36092-injuries-deaths-pedestrians-wearing-headphones.html

While headphones may be a great way to rock out to your favorite tunes all day, they also secretly want to kill you. How? Mostly when you’re walking down the street and not paying attention to oncoming traffic. Researchers gathered information of a 116 accidents involving cars and people wearing headphones. 70 percent of those accidents were fatal. They’ve also increased over the years from 16 accidents in 2004 to 47 in 2010.

10

Baseballs

baseballSource: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=126084&page=1, https://www.unc.edu/news/archives/jul01/muel073001.htm

With baseballs whizzing through the air at fast speeds, it might not be much of a shock they’re dangerous. From 1987 to 1996, 13 Little League players died while playing the game. One seven-year-old even died instantly when a baseball hit him in the chest.

9

Dryer Lint

Dryer_lintSource: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/clothes_dryers.html

Each year, 2,900 dryer fires are reported, meaning 2,900 families forgot to clean out the lint trap again. Unfortunately, dryer lint can become a real hazard, injuring 100 people and killing 5 per year. So, remember to clean out the lint trap.

8

Snow

shovelingSource: http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-30119410

Snow can be both beautiful and annoying depending on how you look at it. But, if you’re the sad soul who has to shovel the foot of snow in the driveway, then it becomes especially deadly. Researchers studying data from 1990 to 2006 found that 1,647 people died from shoveling snow due to cardiac arrest.

7

Christmas Trees

christmas treeSource: https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Seasonal-fires/Winter-holiday-safety/Holiday-fires-by-the-numbers

Christmas is called the most wonderful time of the year until of course, your tree burns down your house and potentially kills you. Christmas trees cause about 200 home fires a year and kill 6 people on average. Often, a candle or heater was too close to the tree, so keep those things at a distance.

6

Furniture

pianoSource: http://people.com/home/report-finds-furniture-tip-overs-cause-injuries-every-17-minutes/

According to Consumer Reports, every 17-minutes, a piece of furniture falls on someone. Over a sixteen year period, 195 people died from furniture falling on them. And, sadly, children are the most at risk.

5

Hot Dogs

hot dogSource: http://usherp.org/tag/hot-dog-deaths/

We love to eat them at cookouts and baseball games, but hot dogs aren’t all fun and games. In 2010, more than 10,000 children under 14 went to the emergency room due to choking on a hot dog. Of those, 77 died.

4

Flip-flops

flip flopsSource: http://www.newser.com/story/246290/one-wrong-step-in-flip-flops-proves-fatal.html

Flip-flops can be great to wear during the summer months. Still, depending on where you’re standing, one wrong move could be the end of your life. That’s what happened a Montana man visiting Glacier National Park. He fell 100-feet and died because he lost his footing while wearing flip-flops.

3

Umbrellas

umbrellaSource: https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/5/17080536/beach-umbrella-death-fatal-chest-injury-case-report

Umbrellas can protect you from torrents of rain or the beating hot sun. They can also be horrifying hazards, potentially impaling you by the strongest gust of wind. In one case, a 55-year-old woman was killed when a beach umbrella flew through the air and struck her with 800-pounds of force.

2

Extension Cords

extension cordSource: https://rmehs.fullerton.edu/_documents/policiesandguidelines/ExtensioncordsSafetyInformation.pdf

These can be useful tools when you just can’t quite reach the electrical outlet. But, they’re also incredibly dangerous if used improperly. According to the Office of Compliance and Safety, from 1994 to 1998, 94 people died due to inappropriate use of extension cords.

1

Aerosol Cans

spraySource: http://www.newsweek.com/what-huffing-man-found-dead-new-york-beside-22-aerosol-cans-811945https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/06/22/whipped-cream-dispenser-french-fashion-instagram-fitness-blogger-rebecca-burger/103098700/,

Aerosol cans can be useful if you need to spray paint or get rid of pesky bugs, but they might also secretly kill you if you’re not careful. In one case, fashion blogger Rebecca Burger was hit in the head and killed by an exploding aerosol can. Other unfortunate victims have died from huffing.



Photo: 1. Pixabay.com (Public Domain), 2. ArnoldReinhold, NEMA-1 extension cord, CC BY-SA 3.0 , 3. User:Amada44, Beach umbrella, CC BY 3.0 , 4. Othertree, 01-man-flip-flops, CC BY-SA 3.0 , 5. jeffreyw, Mmm... hot dogs on the 4th of July (5902859455) (2), CC BY 2.0 , 6. Kiwi in a bag, Minimovers-piano-removalists-2, CC BY-SA 3.0 , 7. Pixabay.com (Public Domain), 8. Pixabay.com (Public Domain), 9. Atomicdragon136, Dryer lint, CC BY 3.0 , 10. THOR, Baseball Softball Love Festival, CC BY 2.0 , 11. Sascha Kohlmann, Woman with Headphone, CC BY-SA 2.0, 12. Visitor7, Bucky Balls, CC BY-SA 3.0 , 13. WikipediaCommons.com (Public Domain), 14. WikipediaCommons.com (Public Domain), 15. Wingsumlam, HK TST 香港藝術博物館 Art Museum interior Schindler escalators, CC BY-SA 3.0 , 16. PxHere.com (Public Domain), 17. Pixabay.com (Public Domain), 18. Colin from Los Angeles, USA, Tylenol bottle closeup, CC BY-SA 2.0 , 19. F.E. Warren Air Force Base (Public Domain), 20. WikipediaCommons.com (Public Domain), 21. Prayitno from Los Angeles, USA, HI CC Standard Double Bed 2, CC BY 2.0 , 22. Pixnio.com (Public Domain), 23. Pixabay.com (Public Domain), 24. J. Samuel Burner. Cropped by uploader., Open manhole, CC BY 2.0 , 25. Pixabay.com (Public Domain)