Household Spray Cleaners – Dangerous

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Unlocked cabinetThe number of injuries to young children caused by exposure to household cleaning products have decreased almost by half over the past two decades. Roughly 12,000 children under the age of 6 are still being treated in U.S. emergency rooms every year for these types of accidental poisonings. This is largely due to child-resistant packaging — but the number of injuries still remains high according to analysis of a national database.Child-resistant packaging mandated for the most dangerous products – furniture polish, drain cleaners, and oven cleaners. Injuries in young children sustained from cleaners contained in spray bottles did not decline.

One reason is that spray bottles don’t feature the same degree of safety mechanisms that other types of bottles and containers do. The locking mechanism on spray bottles isn’t really child resistant and it may be easy for (children) to squeeze the trigger.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that household cleaners and other poisonous substances be stored in locked cabinets after every use- out of sight and out of reach. In addition to picking child-proof and resistant products whenever possible.

Cleaning Product Bottles Look Attractive

Often a young child gets exposed to these kinds of products when someone is cleaning, and leaves a bottle open on the counter because they’re in the middle of using it. So a good reminder is to always close the product completely after using it, even if you plan to open it again in a few minutes.