For Poisoning Questions or Emergencies, Call

1-800-222-1222

Household Products

Poison control centers receive many calls every day about people poisoned by a cleaner or household product. Most commonly, people get a taste of something toxic, but chemicals can also be inhaled or even splashed into the eyes or on the skin. Sometimes these calls are about a small child who has tasted a colorful product thinking it was juice, or eaten a pill thinking it was candy. We have many “look-alike” products in our homes. Products can have a similar color and shape to a known object, or dangerous products may have pictures of food on the label. “Look-alikes” are not only a problem for children: even adults who are distracted or who have low vision can easily make these mistakes. The good news is that most of these poisonings are easily managed at home. Very few of these poisonings require urgent medical care. The sections below describe hazards that may exist in different parts of your home and some facts about poisonings at home.  For more information contact Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov, Safe Kids Worldwide or American Cleaning Institute.

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