Children Act Fast, So Do Accidents

National Poison Prevention Week is March 15-21, 2015 and there is no better time to think about your laundry routine! Make it a habit to always store liquid laundry packets out of reach and sight of children to prevent injury and in their original package until you are ready to use them.

WARNING! Children are curious and whether you want them to or not, tend to put all sorts of different things in their mouth. Food, rattles, toys, teethers – you name it. And even some things they shouldn’t.

Serious harm including accidental ingestion and eye exposure can occur if children get their hands on liquid laundry packets. Each laundry packet contains highly concentrated detergent and can cause serious injury if they end up in the hands and mouths of children.

Parents know that children act fast which is exactly why it is essential to get in the habit of always storing liquid laundry packets along with all other household cleaning products in a safe place that is out of reach and sight of children. And, always remember to keep laundry packets in their original package until they are ready to be used.

Liquid laundry packet accidents are more common than you think. In 2013, there were over 10,000 laundry packet exposures in children five and younger. Protect your children. Here’s how:

• Do not let children handle laundry packets
• Do not puncture or pull packets apart
• Store out of child's sight and reach
• Packets quickly dissolve upon contact with water, wet hands, or saliva
• Packets can rupture, releasing contents into eyes

                    
Courtesy of: The American Cleaning Institute

Three Ways to Detox Your Laundry

Check out these three ways to detox your laundry:

1.) Switch to a natural detergent. Stay away from optical brighteners which give the illusion that fabric is whiter/brighter than it really is. These can actually cause build-up on your laundry and even cause skin irritations. Try a homemade detergent and here is a list of five homemade natural detergents recipes that you may want to try.


2.) Use natural stain removers. If you have a tough stain, hanging the article of clothing out in the sun for a couple of hours will usually bleach out the stain within hours. Or you can try adding an oxygen bleach to the wash or dissolve powered oxygen bleach in water and spray it directly on the stain. You may also want to try one of these 10 homemade, all natural stain removers.


3.) Ditch the fabric softener. White vinegar is the perfect alternative to fabric softener. And not only does it soften, but it can also take the sour smell out of wet clothes that have sat in a washing machine too long.


                                                        Courtesy of: Keeper of the Home