Poisons: Room by Room
You can keep yourself and family members safer by being aware of potential hazards
and observing these suggestions on ways to poison-proof your home. Try going through
your home by bending down to a child's level and looking at everything from their
point of view.
Bathroom
Some items that might be found in the bathroom include medicines; cosmetics, including
nail and hair care products, toothpaste with fluoride, and perfume; tile cleaner;
toilet bowl cleaners; bathroom deodorizers; mouthwash; and other personal hygiene
products.
- Have a child-proof section that locks. Even if your medicine cabinet is high up,
youngsters are inquisitive and avid climbers. They can easily reach a cabinet by
climbing from the toilet (or other convenient object) to the sink and thus reach
into the cabinet.
- Keep medication lids tightly closed. A child-resistant cap is meaningless if not
properly fastened after each use.
- Avoid taking medication in front of a child or referring to pills as candy. Kids
often mimic adults. Also, something that tastes awful to an adult may not faze a
small child.
- For older children, set a good example by always reading all labels on potentially
hazardous products.
- Always follow the recommended dosage set forth on the label or by your doctor for
all medications.
- Some mouthwashes contain enough alcohol to poison small children. Consider alternative
products.
- Some disinfectants and toilet bowl cleaners are dangerously caustic and capable
of burning tissue if ingested.
Bedroom
Some items that might be found in the bedroom include mothballs, cosmetics, hair
sprays, perfumes, colognes, nail polish remover, and medicines.
- Mothballs and crystals should be hung in containers. If such products are used in
closets or chests, they should be out of the reach of children.
- If children are present, it is best if personal care items are kept out of their
reach. Hair spray, cologne, perfumes, fingernail polish remover, fingernail glue
remover, and astringents should be kept where children can't get into them.
Living Room
Although there are not as many items of concern in the living room, one should be
aware of items brought in by guests.
- Pay attention to visitors. People who visit may carry medications in coat pockets
and purses, which are potential hunting grounds for a curious child. Hang garments
and store purses where children are not likely to get at them.
- Lead poisoning is a serious medical problem. Children may be exposed to different
lead sources in your home. Small children may chew on windowsills, eat paint chips
or suck on their hands, exposing themselves to lead dust. Older furniture, such
as cribs, playpens, chairs, etc., and also painted toys may contain lead-based paint.
- Another potential source of poisoning for small children are carpet cleaners because
they frequently play on the carpet. Toys and hands may come in contact with cleaner
and be transferred to their mouth.
- Pesticides can accumulate in carpets and other porous surfaces when they are tracked
into the house. Avoid this by having family members and guests remove their shoes
at the front door. Consider hard wood, tile or linoleum floors as an alternative
to carpets.
Kitchen
Some items that might be found in the kitchen include dishwashing detergent, liquid
dish soap, scouring soap, disinfectants, window cleaners, oven cleaners, medicines,
vitamins, furniture polishes, drain cleaners/openers, and ammonia.
- Check under the sink and low cabinet shelves. Look for products that could be hazardous
when accessible to young children. These could include such items as bleaching agents,
bug spray, rust removers, drain cleaners, ammonia, oven cleaners, detergents, furniture
polish, floor wax, metal polish, wax remover, and wall/floor/toilet bowl cleaners.
If products cannot be moved, install safety latches on the lower cupboard doors
to keep children out.
- Even food extracts, such as vanilla and almond which may contain alcohol, can be
harmful to children.
- Cleaning compounds and foods should never be stored on the same shelf. One item
might be mistaken for another.
- Keep all substances in their original containers. Using beverage bottles or cans
for storing pesticides, cleaning fluids, liquid floor wax, and other household mixtures
is very hazardous. Children, and even adults, might mistake the contents for the
original beverage. Also, labels on original containers often give first aid information
if someone should swallow the product.
- Keep potentially hazardous cleaning compounds capped while using. Do not leave the
unattended container uncapped for even "just a minute" if children are present.
- Use traps, baits or gels instead of pesticides sprays and foggers to minimize your
family's exposure to potentially toxic chemicals.
- Never use illegal pesticides, i.e., pesticide products that do not have an EPA registration
number on the product label. For example, products sold under the name of "insecticidal
chalk," Tres Pasitos, and Tempo are illegal and can be highly toxic to children.
Laundry Room
Some items that might be found in the laundry room include laundry detergent, bleach,
fabric softener, stain removers, and dye.
- Store chemicals up high (out of the reach of children).
- Install safety latches on the cupboard doors to keep children out.
- Keep all substances in their original containers. Using beverage bottles or cans
for storing detergents can be hazardous. Also, labels on original containers often
give first aid information if someone should swallow the product.
- Keep potentially hazardous cleaning compounds capped while using. Do not leave the
unattended container uncapped for even "just a minute" if children are present.
Garage
Some items that might be found in the garage include gasoline, kerosene, car wax/soaps,
weed killers/pesticides, paint, windshield washer fluid, and antifreeze.
- Store chemicals up high (out of the reach of children).
- Install safety latches on the cupboard doors to keep children out.
- Keep all substances in their original containers. Labels on original containers
often give first aid information if someone should swallow the product.
- Clean up spills and leaks immediately and store products properly.
- Get rid of old pesticides that may no longer be registered for residential use,
Examples of once popular household pesticides that have been phased out by EPA include
chlorpyrifos (sold under the brand name Dursban) and diazinon. Contact your local
hazardous waste office for proper disposal information.
Additional Precautions
- Use safety latches or combination locks to prevent curious children from getting
into cabinets and drawers. Don't let children watch you open them. Kids learn fast.
- Many poisonings of youngsters happen when the household routine has been interrupted.
Examples of such changes include: when a parent is ill; when a family is moving;
when a family is on a trip; when there is a guest in the home; when there is family
tension; when seasonal products are in use. In addition, hungry or tired children
are prone to putting the first available object they find into their mouths.
- Keep the number for the nationwide poison control center 1-800-222-1222,
family doctor, and hospital emergency room posted near the telephone. Having the
original container and its label is important in helping paramedics and doctors
help you.
- For handling poisonings and other emergencies, everyone should be trained in first
aid.
- Throw out old medicines (over-the-counter and prescriptions) to reduce clutter and
potential ingestion errors. Look for the expiration date. Out-of-date medications
may be ineffective and/or dangerous.
Especially for Older Adults
- Request medicine labels be printed in larger type.
- If one type of child-restraint closure is difficult to use, ask your pharmacist
for a different kind (especially if there are grandchildren around).
- Always double check the label to make sure you are taking the medicine you intended
especially when you are sleepy or sick.
- Avoid dosage errors—use dosage containers indicating day of week and/or time of
day; don't leave it to memory.
- If you are taking two or more medications (prescription or over-the-counter), be
sure to check with your pharmacist to avoid unexpected drug interactions.
- Consider a dedicated medicine storage area—even if there are no kids in the house.
Pets are Susceptible, Too!
- Poisonous antifreeze tastes sweet to dogs and cats—clean up spills and leaks immediately
and store products properly.
- Avoid using pesticides where pet food is stored or served.
- Avoid feeding pets human food—chocolate can poison and kill a dog. Onions are potentially
harmful to dogs.
- Pets are healthier eating food specially formulated for what they need.
