New reports have indicated an increase in calls to poison control centers for unintended exposures to cleaning and disinfecting products, and the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) has released some tips for cleaning specifically with young children around in the house.

• Do not allow little children have easy access to hand sanitizers or use them on their own
• Dispense the hand sanitizer in your children’s’ hands yourself to make sure they are applying the sanitizer properly.
• Do not mix cleaning products
• Mixing 2 products together or making your own can lead to a dangerous outcome.
• Dilute bleach properly
• You only need to use a small amount to remove germs and viruses on surfaces. Following the manufacturer’s directions to dilute the bleach when disinfecting surfaces will make sure it disinfects properly.
• Do not use surface care products on your skin
• Cleaning and disinfecting products should never be used or sprayed on your skin.
• When you’re done cleaning, immediately store the product out of reach and out of sight of children
• As soon as you finish cleaning or disinfecting, do not leave the product on the counter or in a place that children can access.
• Read the product label
• The product label can provide guidance on where and how to use the product safely and effectively.
• Store all detergent products up and out of sight of children
• Do not leave items, such as liquid laundry packets, sitting on your washing machine.
• Keep the Poison Control Center number in hand

In case of any accidental product exposure, call 1-800-222-1222.

REFERENCE

COVID, Cleaning, & Kids: Safety First. ACI.https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/newsroom/releases/covid-cleaning-kids-safety-first. Published April 22, 2020. Accessed April 22, 2020.

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