The end of the year is the time of year when many of us open our homes to friends and family. Unfortunately, with hosting comes cleaning. Lots and lots of cleaning. It's a chore no one truly enjoys, but the end result is usually satisfying. Before you get started, we at the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) hope you will take a moment to review some safety information about a couple of specific types of cleaners.
According to the Alabama Poison Information Center, nearly 300 people have suffered from exposure to drain cleaners since 2019. This most often happens when drain cleaners are used improperly, such as when they are mixed with other household cleaning chemicals like bleach. The resulting fumes can cause a variety of symptoms, including:
Among those affected by exposure to drain cleaners, children aged 6 and under were more likely to have accidentally ingested the products, an especially dangerous exposure that can cause injuries to the esophagus, which may result in permanent damage.
Your oven may be working overtime during the holidays, and let's face it --- it can get dirty in a hurry. Turkey drippings overflow from the pan, you put too much filling in the pecan pie...the point is, a lot of people will be turning to oven cleaners for help.
In this 2023 news release, ADPH laid out some things you may not realize about oven cleaners. After all, most of us figure that if it's safe enough to spray onto our cooking surfaces, it's, well, safe. But it's important to use caution, or there could be hazardous outcomes. For example:
The two best things you can do to prevent dangerous exposures to common household cleaning products is to use them properly and store them safely. Tips for safe use include:
If an exposure to any of these products occurs, you should immediately call the Alabama Poison Information Center at Children's of Alabama at 1-800-222-1222 for help.