“Take the pledge to be the KEY to a safe laundry room” is the expert advice from American Cleaning Institute (ACI) aiming to reduce the number of kids harmed by poisonous laundry pods.
Over 17000 young kids have been harmed by the laundry pods between 2012 and 2013; 700 of which are Americans.
The injuries resulted from ingestion of product, inhalation and exposure to skin, and eyes.
Many kids have experienced seizures and coma; one child has died.
ACI’s tips for a safe laundry room form the acronym KEY:
• Keep single-load liquid laundry packets out of the reach of children.
• Educate your family and friends about the safe use and storage of these new laundry products.
• You serve a key role in laundry safety
American Association of Poison Control Centers gives additional advice:
• Follow the instructions on the product label.
• Call your local poison center immediately if you think a child has been exposed to a packet of highly concentrated liquid laundry detergent
Procter & Gamble, the manufacturer of Tide is one company that has made an effort to make the laundry pod packages a bit more difficult for kids to handle by putting locks on lid and using opaque containers.
However, Dr. Smith, from Nationwide Children’s Hospital explains, “These are closures that children can open very easily, very quickly. They’re not child-resistant and that’s why we need a voluntary safety standard in this country.”
Do you use laundry pods?
How do you keep these laundry pods from your kids?
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