The Dangerous Way You May Be Storing Your Detergent Pods (And How To Do It Right)
For people who love to have well-decorated laundry rooms, putting detergent pods in a cute bowl or a glass jar might seem like a great idea, but storing your laundry pods incorrectly can be dangerous. Laundry detergent pods are designed to dissolve easily, so storing them in an open container can expose them to liquid, causing the chemicals to leak. Since detergent pods contain concentrated laundry detergent, the liquid inside them can cause irritation if it gets on your skin and is toxic if ingested.
The best way to store laundry detergent pods is in a cool, dry area of your home, like a cabinet, and to keep them in their original container. While plastic detergent containers aren't the most beautiful, they are more difficult to open, making them the safest option. If you have children or pets, it's crucial to keep them away from your detergent pods. If ingested, laundry detergent pods can burn or break down the inside of your mouth, throat, and stomach lining and can cause vomiting with a higher chance of aspirating, causing the detergent to enter the lungs. If a child bites into a detergent pod, it's essential to call poison control immediately.
Why you shouldn't store detergent pods in open containers
While laundry detergent pods seem like an innocent cleaning product that could be displayed in a cute jar, children, pets, or people that struggle with a neurological condition like dementia, could accidentally harm themselves. Because detergent pods are small and often very bright and colorful, children may mistake them for candy. Young children tend to put things in their mouths when they are curious, but this can be dangerous with detergent pods because they are designed to dissolve quickly. The safest place to store laundry pods to keep them away from children is up high and in a locked cabinet.
If someone in your home happens to bite into a detergent pod, make sure to get all of it out of their mouth. Try to use a cloth to wipe away any spilled detergent quickly, call poison control, or go to the nearest emergency room, or if the person is acting strange or tired, call 911.
How to safely handle laundry detergent pods
Detergent pods are extremely convenient and make getting your laundry done a lot easier. While there's no measuring involved like regular liquid detergent, it's still important to handle the pods carefully. Since laundry detergent pods can dissolve in cold or hot water, it's important to ensure your hands are completely dry before touching them. It's best to store laundry pods in a place with low humidity since moisture in the air can cause the pods to come open or stick to each other.
While repurposing the empty plastic tubs from detergent pods might seem like a great way to cut down on waste, it's best to simply stick them into the recycling bin. If any chemicals happened to leak into the container, you wouldn't want it to come into contact with your hands. For those who love the ease of using laundry pods, storing them properly will help to keep you and your family safe.