For some families, cleaning and tidiness might be one of the most frustrating aspects of home life. It can be difficult to find the motivation necessary to maintain a spotless home consistently. Regardless of this, most families still find a way to keep their homes in a fair condition. One of the major contributions to keeping their homes clean comes in the form of the household chemical products used. While families are aware of their incredible cleaning prowess, what is often overlooked is the potential danger these products can cause as well. The proper storage of these products is imperative for limiting the amount of harm they can do.
Unfortunately, there isn’t one storage solution that will work for every family. It can take time to develop the proper storage strategy, but this post should help in prioritizing ways to keep the family safe from these products.
Cautious Accessibility: the degree in which families care about how their chemical products are stored often comes down to how old their children are. For families with older children, teenagers and up, it can be more beneficial to prioritize accessibility rather than security. Most children around this age are familiar with safe use of the products stored around the home, so parents don’t have to store the products behind lock and key. Whereas families with younger children, anywhere from toddlers to early adolescents, security should be the utmost priority. The last thing parents want is their young children coming into contact with these products and becoming ill, which is why properly storing them becomes imperative.
Rely On The Label: the number of families who refuse to read the labels of these chemical products are missing valuable information. These labels will include precise details regarding the chemical composition of these products, directions to properly use these products and even storage directions for the safety of these products. This information can be invaluable for those families with younger children who are hoping to keep these products out of the wrong hands. One thing worth noting, however, is that relying too much on the label can be an issue in some rare instances. Assuming the label eventually fades, some important information can be lost. Which is why it’s recommended to take note of the critical information on the label prior to its fading.
Clutter Is The Enemy: an abundance of these products leads to a higher chance of harm being done on any family. Reducing the number of these products when possible is of utmost importance. This doesn’t mean playing mad scientist and mixing half-empty cans together, as this can result in even more harm. Rather this philosophy should allow your family to avoid having too many products for its own good. In addition to decluttering, it’s important to designate zones around the home that are fit for storing these products. Zones that support areas where children or pets can’t reach these products and zones that allow for easy access for those fit to use them are the best suggestions.
These principles serve as a great foundation for families hoping to reduce the risk of chemical-related injury to their families. For more information on how your family can properly store their chemical products, be sure to check out the infographic coupled alongside this post.
Author bio: Lynn Place is Vice President of Marketing for SolvChem Custom Packaging Division. She has 30 years of professional experience in the manufacturing industry and specializes in consumer-packaged goods, new product development and strategic planning.