Are you a family with young children? Then chances are you spend a great deal of time doing laundry!
Help keep young kids safe by making sure that anything little fingers may try to open, pull on, or play with in the laundry room won't cause a poisoning injury.
Laundry Products
Laundry detergents are poisonous. So pay close attention to how you store them before, during, and after use.
Keep laundry products in their original containers with the original label on them. Close them tightly when not in use.
Always put products away out of sight and reach of children and pets. It is best to store them in a high, locked cabinet. Do not store products on top of the washer and dryer or in storage drawers under laundry machines.
Read and follow all instructions on the product label. Know where the safety information is located on the label and what to do in case an injury occurs.
Never combine laundry detergent with ammonia or other household cleaners, because some chemical mixtures may release irritating or dangerous fumes.
If a product container is empty, throw it away properly. Do not reuse detergent buckets or bottles for other uses.
Clean up any spills immediately and wash your hands and any items you use to pour or measure products.
Close and lock the laundry room door when you are finished, so curious young children cannot get in.
Pay special attention to spray bottles. They are a common source of accidental poisoning and should be kept out of a child's reach.
Washers & Dryers
To avoid injuries from washers and dryers:
Use child locks on front-loading washers and dryers to prevent small children from opening the doors while they are in use and also to prevent them from ever crawling in the machines.
Clean the lint trap after each use to help prevent fires. Clogged lint traps are a common cause of house fires. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that washers and dryers were involved in one out of every 22 home fires reported in 2006-2010.
Do not lean on or allow children to play or hang on the doors of washers and dryers, because this can cause them to tip over.
Vent the dryer outside the home to prevent mold and mildew build-up.
Make a rule in your house that the washer and dryer are not toys.
Laundry Chutes
Young children may want to explore this "mysterious opening" we call the laundry chute. While convenient for adults, it poses a great danger for small children.
Make sure laundry chute doors are out of the reach of a small child (36 inches or more off the floor).
Install child locks to keep your child from opening the chute.
Tell your children that the laundry chute is meant only for clothes. Toys and people should never go in the laundry chute.
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