Storing Cleaning Products When You Have Kids

Are you cleaning more these days? COVID-19 has altered these daily routines for many families across the nation. With many worries related to COVID-19, it could be easy to neglect home safety. With the pandemic happening across the nation, many homes are stocking up on cleaning products, and creating a potential hazard for young children.

According to the American Cleaning Institute, it only takes a second – one distraction, one step into the other room – for an accident to happen. So it’s important to keep all cleaning products up and out of reach.

Storing Cleaning Products and Laundry Pods

• In addition to keeping products out of reach of children, keep products in their original containers with the labels intact. After each use, completely close the container. Then immediately store it in an appropriate location out of reach of children, preferably locked in a closet or on a high shelf.

• Bright and colorful single-load laundry packets or pods are a magnet for young children, who can mistake them for candy. These products present new hazards for ingestion because of the high concentration of laundry detergents and chemicals. Parents should be extremely vigilant with where they store these products, keeping them out of sight and reach when not in immediate use.

Using Cleaning Products

• Follow all recommended product instructions and pay particularly close attention to all "Caution", "Warning", "Danger", or "Poison" statements.

• To prevent laundry pods from dissolving before use, you should always close the package and handle with dry hands.

• Clean up any spills immediately after they occur.

• Be sure to wash your hands after doing laundry, as well as any utensils you use to dispense or measure products.

• Aim to take care of the laundry and other cleaning chores during your child's downtime, such as naptime. This will help to ensure your attention is not diverted while using laundry and cleaning products to help avoid unintended exposure.

• If any product gets in the eyes, rinse immediately with water for 15 minutes and seek medical advice, as needed.

• If a product gets on the skin or clothing, remove contaminated clothing and rinse skin well with water.

• If a product is swallowed, drink a glass of water or milk and contact the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) and your doctor immediately.