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Why home-brewed cleaning products can be a risky way to economize
When it comes to health and hygiene, cleaning products are a necessity, not a luxury.
In an economy where everyone is looking for ways to save money, it's tempting to consider creating your own cleaning products. It may sound like a good idea, but there could be serious safety implications. Consider:
- Labels: Homemade cleaning products aren't stored in properly labeled containers! While you may feel confident that you know what's in them, consider the fact that a child or a pet may get ahold of them when you're not around. How would other members of the household know what's inside or what to do in an emergency if there's no label with safety instructions?
- Testing standards for safety: Commercial products are tested to meet strict government safety standards, while alternative cleaners are not tested or held to any standards. Testing ensures that the chemicals are compatible and will remain stable over time. A homemade mixture may not be stable for storage and could even become a breeding ground for bacteria.
- Testing standards for use: Untested homemade mixtures may have unforeseen consequences, such as damaging your kitchen counters or stripping the finish from your brand-new wood floors.
- Secure storage containers: Child-resistant packaging, generally not used for homemade cleaners, is essential for the safety of your family. An ingredient may be labeled as "natural" but that doesn't mean it's safe for ingestion by children or pets.
A better way to economize is to look for sales, use coupons or purchase cleaning products in bulk. Many bulk sizes are packaged with a corresponding smaller, refillable version of the product. If your choice doesn't come that way – and/or you want to keep the cleaner in multiple locations – purchase a smaller size and refill the container as necessary. That way, no matter where you use the product, it'll be properly labeled in case of an emergency.
March 15-21 is National Poison Prevention Week. It's the perfect time to review the way cleaning products are handled in your home. Nancy Bock, Vice President of Education at The Soap and Detergent Association, offers these guidelines:
- Close cleaning product caps securely. Even child-resistant packaging doesn't work if the container isn't properly closed.
- Lock products up. Store them in a location that's away from children, pets and food. Install child-resistant locks on cabinets and doors.
- Keep cleaning products in their original containers. If an accident occurs, the label provides information concerning the product's contents and advice on what immediate first-aid to perform.
- Carefully dispose of empty cleaning containers. Replace the caps and then discard in a sealed recycling bin or garbage container that's safe from curious children and pets.
If there's a poison-related emergency, contact the U.S. Poison Control Center's nationwide toll-free number: 1-800-222-1222. Post this number, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, next to every phone in the house and add it as a contact into all your cell phones. If someone is unconscious, not breathing, or having a seizure, call 9-1-1.
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