How to safely store household chemicals: 4 smart ways

Typically, the issue of safe storage of household chemicals often arises when small children live in the house. It is the little ones who, exploring this wonderful world, are able to unwind all the jars and bottles and, what is most dangerous, taste the contents. Of course, as long as the baby is snoring peacefully in the crib, such a problem does not become acute. But once he takes his first steps, parents should approach the issue of storing cleaning and detergents very responsibly.

In this article we will tell you how and where to store household chemicals so that there is no risk to the life and health of the little resident.

Where to store household chemicals - the safest places

As a rule, we all store cleaning products in the bathroom. This does not apply to dishwashing detergent or, for example, furniture polish. The bathroom is the place where the largest number of vials and bottles with hazardous substances are concentrated. But, as a rule, there are, unfortunately, very few suitable places in this room.

Let's look at the safest places to store detergents.

Upper cabinet space

Take a close look at your home. Well, I can’t believe that it doesn’t have a couple of top shelves in the cabinets. Take the kitchen, for example. The kitchen set is an excellent place to store household chemicals.As soon as your baby starts crawling and showing curiosity about the cabinet doors, start rearranging them right away. Free up at least one shelf - all the products will easily fit in one space. But don’t be naive - remove even bottles marked “eco”, since they are also not safe.

Special door locks

This option is also quite acceptable. The special lock is made in such a way that both ends are firmly attached to the two sides of the door, and in the middle there is a latch that can only be opened by an adult. If there is no space on the upper cabinets, then you can place household chemicals on the lower ones, but only with appropriate protection.

You can find such products in almost every children's store. Over time, of course, the child will understand the device and be able to open such a lock, but he will no longer be at that age - he will already understand the dangers of household chemicals.

Space under the bath

In this case, safety can only be ensured when the space under the bathtub is covered with a special screen. It can be made of different materials, but its peculiarity is that the baby is unlikely to understand to move the sash. Often the screen is made in such a way that it seems as if it is a single canvas that cannot be opened.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to lull a child’s vigilance, so it is advisable to attach the same special lock to the screen. By the way, the space under the bathroom is a great place to store detergents and cleaning products. And it doesn’t take up much space, and it’s used practically—you don’t have to take up other shelves.

Organizers with a durable latch

Finding organizers that will fit all the bottles and vials is not an easy task.After all, you will have to look for a product of such a height that a 1-liter bottle can easily fit into it. However, many hardware stores have such organizers. Take AliExpress for example - you can find anything there.

Try to choose products in which the lock has a complex structure, or one in which the lock opens under a certain force. It will be very difficult for a child to open such an organizer, but an adult can handle it without difficulty.

You can store such an organizer on the lower shelves of the closet, but it is better to send it further away, for example, under the same bathroom, on the upper shelves or in the pantry.

Tips for storing household chemicals

Don’t forget that storing cleaning chemicals is a separate chapter of housekeeping. To avoid dangerous situations, you should follow the recommendations:

1. It is better to store all cleaning products in a well-ventilated place. The concentration of harmful vapors can cause allergies, and in the most severe cases, suffocation.
2. Empty containers should not be reused. You should not use an empty bleach bottle for shampoo or liquid soap. No matter how well you wash the bottle, your skin may react negatively or, in the worst case, get a chemical burn. Yes, this sounds stupid and almost impossible, but cases are different.
3. If the label on the bottle has worn off or peeled off, be sure to sign the contents with a marker. After all, by mistake you can grab the bottle and confuse it, for example, with the same shampoo or shower gel.
4. Never keep expired funds. It's better to throw them away immediately.
5. Places near heating radiators, stoves, microwaves, near food products and medicines are not suitable for storing household chemicals.