Household cleaning products are responsible for one pediatric emergency room visit every 35 minutes in the United States, according to new research published in Pediatrics. Between 2007 and 2022, nearly 250,000 children ages 5 and younger were treated in emergency departments for injuries caused by common cleaners found in most homes . The injury rate has climbed from 4.6 per 10,000 children in 2007 to 6.3 per 10,000 in 2022, revealing a troubling trend that persists despite advances in child-resistant packaging and safety education.

Which Cleaning Products Cause the Most Injuries to Children?

Two cleaning products dominate the injury statistics: bleach and detergents. Bleach, also known as sodium hypochlorite, accounts for approximately 30% of all cleaning product-related injuries among young children, while detergents account for 28% . These products cause harm primarily through ingestion or direct contact with skin and eyes, leading to poisonings, chemical burns, rashes, and conjunctivitis.

Bleach is commonly used in bathroom and kitchen cleaners to remove stains, kill mold and mildew, and disinfect surfaces. Swallowing bleach can cause nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain; larger amounts or higher concentrations can cause severe gastrointestinal damage and even death. Detergents are synthetic cleaning agents containing surfactants designed to remove oil and dirt from clothing, dishes, and other surfaces. When ingested, detergents can cause throat irritation, choking, coughing, nausea, vomiting, and can even burn the lining of the esophagus or cause respiratory distress .

The introduction of laundry and dish detergent pods around 2012 created a significant spike in injuries. These convenient packets now account for approximately 33% of detergent-related injuries, many involving toddlers who mistake the colorful pods for candy or toys . Other cleaning products that commonly cause injuries include acidic products like toilet bowl cleaners and rust removers, alkali products like drain cleaners and degreasers, as well as turpentine, pine oil, and spot removers.

"What surprised me is we are still seeing so many visits to emergency departments associated with very common household cleaning products," said Lara McKenzie, Ph.D., senior author of the study and principal investigator at the Center for Injury Research at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Lara McKenzie, Ph.D., Senior Author and Principal Investigator at the Center for Injury Research at Nationwide Children's Hospital

Why Are Toddlers and Young Children Most Vulnerable?

Children ages 1 and 3 experience the highest rates of cleaning product injuries, a pattern that reflects their developmental stage and behavior. Toddlers are mobile and developing fine motor skills, allowing them to open cabinets, manipulate spray bottles, and grasp small objects. However, they cannot read warning labels, lack the cognitive ability to understand danger, and possess an intense curiosity combined with the determination to explore everything within reach .

Young children learn by mimicking adults, so they often discover how to use spray bottles and other dispensing systems by watching parents and caregivers clean. This mimicry, combined with their inability to assess risk, makes them particularly vulnerable to accidental poisoning and chemical exposure. The fact that most injuries involve children ages 1 and 2 underscores how quickly toddlers can access hazardous products, even when parents believe items are safely stored.

How to Reduce Your Child's Risk of Cleaning Product Injuries

• Store in Original Containers: Always keep cleaning products in their original containers with labels intact, as this helps you quickly identify what was ingested or exposed in an emergency and provides critical safety information.
• Lock or Elevate Storage: Place all cleaning products in cabinets that are completely out of reach for children or use locks on cabinet doors, remembering that child-resistant packaging only delays access, not prevents it.
• Avoid Spray Bottles When Possible: Recognize that spray bottle designs have remained largely unchanged for decades, and young children can easily learn to operate them by watching adults, so consider storing spray products in locked cabinets or using alternative cleaning methods.
• Save the Poison Help Number: Program 1-800-222-1222, the Poison Help line, into your cell phone and teach older children to call it in case of accidental ingestion or exposure.
• Skip "Natural" Alternatives as a Safety Solution: Do not assume that switching to "non-toxic" or "all-natural" cleaners eliminates risk, as these products are equally unsafe if ingested or sprayed into a child's face.

The key strategy is making it as difficult as possible for children to access cleaning products in the first place. While nothing is 100% child-proof, creating multiple barriers significantly reduces the likelihood of injury. This means going beyond relying on child-resistant packaging alone and implementing physical separation through locked storage and elevation out of reach .

"Almost everything we use to clean will cause injury," noted McKenzie, emphasizing that the solution lies not in eliminating cleaners but in preventing access.

Lara McKenzie, Ph.D., Senior Author and Principal Investigator at the Center for Injury Research at Nationwide Children's Hospital

The persistence of cleaning product injuries despite decades of safety advances suggests that education and packaging alone are insufficient. Parents should recognize that their home cleaning routine, while necessary for hygiene, introduces real hazards that require intentional storage practices and emergency preparedness. By taking these precautions seriously, families can significantly reduce the risk of accidental poisoning and chemical exposure among their youngest members.