Laundry detergent packets promise to make doing laundry quick and convenient. If you have young children, though, this convenience comes with an important safety concern. Every year, poison centers receive thousands of calls about young children who have swallowed the concentrated detergent from laundry detergent packets or gotten it in their eyes or on their skin. Because the detergent inside the packets is highly concentrated, even a small amount can cause serious injuries, including poisoning, breathing problems, and chemical burns to the eyes or skin.
Before you decide what laundry detergent to buy, here are a few things every parent should know.
Detergent in laundry packets is highly concentrated. This means it’s much more dangerous than traditional powder or liquid detergent and much more harmful if your child swallows or breathes it in. If children younger than 6 years old live in or visit your home using traditional liquid or powder detergent instead of laundry detergent packets may be the safer option.
Laundry detergent packets are attractive to kids. The packets are often brightly colored, squishy, and scented. Young children explore the world by putting things into their mouths, so they can easily mistake a laundry detergent packet for candy or another treat. It only takes a few seconds for a child to grab a packet and bite into it.
The packets break open easily. The outer coating is designed to dissolve in water. If a child bites, squeezes, or punctures a packet, the concentrated detergent can quickly splash into the mouth or eyes or onto the skin.
Child-resistant packaging is not child proof. Most laundry detergent packets are sold in containers designed to make them harder for children to open. Some children will still be able to open these containers, especially if they are left within reach. This makes safe storage even more important.
If laundry detergent packets are in the home, safe storage is important. If you or your children’s caregiver use laundry detergent packets, make sure everyone is following these safe storage guidelines. Store laundry detergent packets in their original container with the lid tightly closed. Keep the container in a high cabinet that young children cannot reach. If possible, choose a cabinet with a child safety lock.
After taking a packet out, close the container right away and put it back in its safe storage place before putting clothes into the washer. Never leave packets sitting on top of the washer or dryer or in an open laundry basket. Even a few moments of distraction can give a curious child enough time to grab a packet from the machine, a laundry basket, or an open container.
Be prepared. Save the national Poison Help Line number (1-800-222-1222) in your phone and post it in a visible place in your home. Call right away if you think your child or teen might have come into contact with a laundry detergent packet – or any substance – they shouldn’t have. The Poison Help Line provides free, confidential advice from experts, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Laundry detergent packets may let you complete a task faster, but they also come with extra risk. If you have young children at home, choosing traditional laundry detergent may be the safer option for your family.
Tracy Mehan is the manager of translational research for the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
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