When was the last time you looked through your cabinets in your kitchen at home? Did you know that many of the everyday household cleaning products you have may be dangerous? It’s important that you read the labels and, if you have small children, talk to them about the potential dangers of these cleaning products.
Being poisoned is not always immediately obvious. There are four primary ways in which people can be poisoned:
- When a poison is swallowed
- A poison is splashed in the eyes
- A poison comes in contact with the skin
- A poison is breathed in or inhaled.
Here are a number of different cleaning products you should look out for in your home as they may be harmful if ingested:
- Cleaning products containing various chemicals
- Prescription medications
- Vitamins and food supplements
- Beauty products i.e. perfumes, hairspray, nail polish remover
- Carbon monoxide gas from cars or heating devices such as a gas stove or furnace
- Lawn products i.e. pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fertilizer
- Fluids used for your car i.e. antifreeze, windshield washer fluid or motor oil
- Alcohol or tobacco products
Of course you want to protect your children and those whom are most vulnerable in your household. In order to prevent an accident from occurring, follow these tips:
Keep chemical products and medications in their original containers.
If you are going to take medication, make sure the light is on in the room you’re taking it in. Always seal your containers after use.
Install carbon monoxide detectors in your home.
Keep your cleaning products far out of reach of children and always keep them locked up and out of sight.
You may keep products in different areas of your home.
Kitchen: Food poisoning may occur if your food is not stored at the proper temperature. If you have children, use child-proof locks on your cabinets, so that young children are not able to access cleaning chemicals. Since a lot of these chemicals are stored in the cabinets under the sink, it’s a good idea to have these locks on these cabinets. Small children could easily open them when you’re not looking.
Bedroom: Everyone wants to have peace of mind while they sleep. Carbon monoxide in an odorless, colorless gas that is undetectable without carbon monoxide alarms or detectors. Put these in your bedrooms, so that you will be notified if there is a problem. If you have pets, make sure that any plants you buy for your house are not toxic.
Garage: Never leave your car engine running with the garage door closed. Paints, antifreeze, oil, and gasoline should be placed and stored far out of reach of children.
Bathroom: Medications can prove deadly if not handled safely. Keep any medications locked away and far out of reach of children.