The American Cleaning Institute (ACI)

Laundry Safety Tips

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Mother and daughter doing laundry

Keep kids safe by storing laundry products carefully, paying attention during use and disposing of products properly. For a healthy and safe laundry routine, follow these guidelines each and every day.

Store laundry products carefully for safety.

  • Keep laundry products out of the reach of children and pets, especially liquid laundry packets.
  • Remember to keep products in their original container with the original label intact and immediately put them away in a secure location after use. 
  • Children are usually curious and explore all the new things they find around a household. Take care to keep laundry products out of reach of young children.

Pay attention during use.

  • Read and follow all recommended instructions on the laundry product label prior to use. Be sure to pay particularly close attention to all ‘Caution’, ‘Danger’ or similar statements. 
  • Never combine laundry detergents with ammonia or other household cleaning agents because some chemical mixtures may release irritating gases. 
  • Remember to clean up any spills, and immediately wash your hands and any items used to dispense or measure products. 
  • Choose to do laundry in the absence of young children so that you can give it your full attention without distractions.
  • Always close the laundry detergent container, box, bottle or pouch immediately after each use. Make it a habit to put laundry products away when you have finished using them.

Dispose of products properly.

  • To protect children, pets and garbage handlers, remember to rinse and re-cap the bottle before throwing away or recycling.
  • Never use empty detergent containers for storage of any other materials, especially for anything intended for human consumption.
  • Teach young children that laundry products and their containers are not toys.

Know what to do.

  • Laundry product labels contain first aid information and are a valuable resource for consumers. 
  • Familiarize yourself with product labels and know where the safety information is located on the label. Know what to do before unintended exposure happens. 
  • Keep the Poison Control Center phone number (1-800-222-1222) available at all times.
  • To ensure the safety of you and your family, cleaning product manufacturers work in close partnership with the Poison Control Centers to share information about products on a routine basis.

The American Cleaning Institute® is dedicated to creating better living through the safe and effective use of cleaning products.