How to Store Chemicals and Cleansers

Any household has several chemicals that are used for cleaning. Even if you typically clean with natural ingredients, there are still some products that you probably use, at least occasionally. Most homes have a bottle of bleach, for example, as well as bathroom cleaner, laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent and glass cleaner. If you don’t have young children in your home, you might not even consider where you store these items. Here are some tips to keep in mind to help your products last longer and to keep everyone safe:

Little hands can be slowed down by childproof caps on bottles of cleansers, but they’re not foolproof. While it’s simpler to keep dishwashing detergent under the kitchen sink and toilet bowl cleaner under the bathroom sink, these are hazards waiting to happen if you have toddlers or preschoolers. You simply cannot watch them every second, and prevention is better than treatment, when it comes to poisoning! Store these items on a high shelf in a cabinet or closet that you can lock, if possible. The extra seconds that it takes you to access the products are worth it if it means keeping small children safe.

Once you open a bottle of chemical cleanser, it will start to degrade over time. Keeping the lids on tightly will help slow down this process. It will also help to prevent evaporation. Screw on the tops well after each use. If you open your storage area and find that you can smell one of your cleansers, then the top is probably not on tightly enough.

Many household cleansers are flammable, so storing them near a heat source is a big no-no. Do not keep them on a shelf near the furnace, for example. Also be cautious about keeping them in an area that is not insulated very well in the summertime, where they can get overheated, or in the winter, when they can freeze.

Just like small children, pets can get into cleaning chemicals and be poisoned. Unlike children, pets are also likely to chew on the containers, so childproof lids won’t help at all. Keeping the products up high and in a closet or cabinet that closes completely will help keep your furry friends safe.

You probably already know this, but it bears repeating: Never mix two different chemicals together. The result could be poisonous fumes or other reactions. One particularly bad combination is ammonia and bleach; mixing the two of these could create a potentially deadly gas.

As cleaning products age, their containers may begin to warp or swell. This can lead to leakage, which can damage surfaces or even cause fumes if they were to mix with other leaking products. If a bottle looks misshapen to you, it’s best to dispose of it properly and replace it with a new bottle.

Keeping your family and your belongings safe is important to you, and one way that you can help ensure their safety is to store your cleaning chemicals properly. By keeping these tips in mind, you will also help to keep them potent for as long as possible, which saves you money, besides.