Keep your Toddlers Safe in the Laundry Room with Packets Up!

This post was sponsored by The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) as part of the PACKETS UP! campaign.

Before we even become parents, we know we will need to babyproof our homes. We block off the stairs and fireplaces. We place locks on cabinets because for whatever reason everyone keeps their household cleaners under the kitchen sink. We even put soft tape around sharp corners of our furniture.

But there is another important item to remember when babyproofing: liquid laundry packets.

What are Liquid Laundry Packets?

Liquid Laundry Packets are small soft packets with pre-measured highly concentrated doses of detergent. They are easy to use and super convenient, keeping us from measuring detergent when doing our chores. As working moms, we take our shortcuts where we can. I love using liquid laundry packets since I just grab one and drop it in the machine. But we need to be mindful of these highly concentrated packets and store them safely.

Oftentimes we keep our detergent right on top of the washing machine, right? Proper storage of liquid laundry packets and other cleaning products can help avoid accidents in the home.

Here’s a quick video sharing more information about liquid laundry packets and their safe storage.

Safe Storage of Liquid Laundry Packets

Liquid laundry packets contain highly concentrated detergent and should be kept out of the hands of little ones. My container of liquid laundry packets has safety built in and is actually difficult for me to open one-handed. This extra layer of safety helps prevent the packets from getting into little hands.

New safety standards have made the packaging of liquid laundry packets more child-resistant. They take more hand dexterity than young children have to help reduce exposure in the home. These packets have also been designed with a delay in dissolving and thicker material to avoid being popped if squeezed.

But we shouldn’t just rely on these safety measures in the packaging. There is a simple act we can take to keep these packets away from little hands:

• Store liquid laundry packets up and out of reach.
• Store packets in their original container.
• Keep the container securely closed.

Our laundry room doubles as a pantry. We do not have cabinets, but we do have plenty of shelving. I keep both the liquid laundry packets and the dishwasher packets up on the highest shelf. I also have the doorknob babyproofed, so my toddler can’t enter into the room without supervision.

Here is a great infographic from the American Cleaning Institute sharing dos and don’ts about liquid laundry packets.

What to do if a Child comes in contact with Liquid Laundry Packets

If your child comes in contact with laundry packets, call poison control.  Here are the numbers you can call or text.

Poison Helpline: 1-800-222-1222

Text “POISON” to 797979

Visit packetsup.com for more information and tools to help you prevent exposures from liquid laundry packets. You can order a cling to place in your laundry area to help remind you to put the liquid laundry packets up. There is even a children’s coloring activity sheet for teaching safety tips.  Follow the American Cleaning Institute on Facebook and Twitter and look for #PacketsUp.