Survey: Americans Say Cleaning Products: Are Safe When Used As Directed

Survey: Americans Say Cleaning Products: Are Safe When Used As Directed

• Respondents Say Products Are Very Safe (40%) or Somewhat Safe (48%)

• Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) Reiterates Safety, Storage Messages for National Poison Prevention Week, March 19-25, 2006

• SDA Offers Online "Home Safe Home" Accident Prevention Tip Sheet

WASHINGTON, DC C March 13, 2006 C Nearly nine out of ten Americans believe the cleaning products they buy are safe when used as directed, according to a survey released by The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA).

Among 946 adults (451 male, 495 female) questioned by International Communications Research for SDA, an overwhelming majority found cleaning products to be "very safe" (40%) or "somewhat safe" (48%) when properly used. Eight percent said these products are "somewhat unsafe." Less than one percent said cleaning products are "not safe at all" when used as directed.

Proper and safe storage, use and supervision of all household products can substantially reduce accidents in the home, said Nancy Bock, SDA Vice President of Education, and Chair of the National Poison Prevention Week Council . The 45th observance of National Poison Prevention Week takes place March 19-25, 2006.

"Take away the opportunity and youve automatically made your home safer by reducing the chance for an accidental poisoning when small children are around," said Bock, who shared several common sense tips when using cleaning products around the house:

• Schedule routine cleaning around the kids routines , such as nap time or when they arent at home.

• Dont be distracted when youre cleaning. Keep your attention on the tasks at hand and the children around you. Save activities like talking on a cell phone, conversing with another adult in the room or "listening" to the TV for another time.

• Dont leave children unattended around cleaning products. If you need to answer the doorbell or the phone, take the child with you.

• Dont leave cleaning buckets containing liquid unattended. Besides the obvious chance of spilling, slipping and sipping, theres the fact that toddlers are "top heavy." If they topple into a bucket, even one with a very small amount of liquid, they could drown because they cant pull themselves up.

• DONT mix cleaning products. Products which are safe when used alone can sometimes become dangerous if mixed with other products.

• DONT ever mix chlorine bleach or any product containing chlorine bleach (like some tub and tile cleaners, mildew removers, all-purpose cleaners, automatic dishwashing detergents) with: ammonia, or products which contain ammonia or ammonia-containing compounds (some hand dishwashing detergents and window cleaners) or acidic products (toilet bowl cleaners, rust removers).

"Home Safe Home" Guide Now Available Online