Hello! We’re back with another article! Today, we’ll discuss how to safely store and handle cleaning products.
We all know how important it is to use cleaning products in our home. They help us keep our household hygienic and comfortable.
Besides knowing how to use them, it’s also important to store and handle cleaning products safely. If you have kids or pets, this is even more important.
In this article, we will give you some tips to safely store and handle all your cleaning products. You will save time, avoid accidents and preserve their effectiveness for a long time.
Before we start, remember that Dallas Maids of Frisco offers a professional cleaning service in the Frisco area. Our cleaning service will help you keep your home spotless and you will never have to worry about a dirty home again!
Without further ado, let’s start with our cleaning tips!
When in Doubt, Read the Labels
Always read the label on the cleaning product to understand its proper use and, of course, how to store them and discard them. Follow the directions carefully and, when in doubt, always call the company first.
The labels will tell you what the product is for, how to use it, what not to do, and the safety measures.
The instructions are there to help you! It’s ok to read them as many times as you need to properly understand what you need to do and, most importantly, ensure you won’t get run any risk in the process.
Sometimes, labels will fall off. In that case, always have at hand a permanent marker, sticky notes and some scotch tape. As soon as you notice the label is going to fall off, copy the name, ingredients and expiry date and stick that post-it into the bottle.
Keep Cleaning Products Out of Reach
As we all know, we have to keep cleaning products out of reach of children and pets. Here are some options:
If you have absolutely no storage and you are into DIY projects, you can install a small shelf using floating shelves (which are around $5 a piece). They are also super easy to install! Make sure you have a small edge to prevent them from falling.
If you like buying gallon-sized cleaning products, these probably won’t work for you because they might be too weak. Instead, you might want to use upper kitchen cabinets.
Related: 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning
Do Not Mix Cleaning Products
As far as handling your cleaning products, make sure you are careful with transporting them. You can use a cleaning caddy or a small utility cart to transport them safely.
When it’s time for the actual cleaning, the most important thing to keep in mind is to avoid mixing cleaning products.
Many cleaning products are perfectly safe to use by themselves. However, they can produce explosive reactions or toxic fumes if mixed with other chemicals.
For example, even though vinegar is quite safe to use on many surfaces, you should never mix it with bleach, as it produces chlorine gas. This can irritate your lungs and eyes and cause breathing difficulties.
Even mixing vinegar with hydrogen peroxide will create something called peracetic acid. This chemical reaction can be dangerous to your skin, eyes and respiratory system.
If you want to read more about the potentially dangerous cleaning products in your home, check this guide from Emily’s Maids.
Separate Incompatible Cleaning Products
As we were mentioning earlier, commercial cleaning products are not meant to be mixed together. When you are going to store cleaning products, you need to separate incompatible products to avoid mixing them by accident.
For example, bleach is a product that does not get along with other common cleaning products (white vinegar, ammonia, rubbing alcohol). These products can create toxic fumes, and you never know when they are going to spill or get mixed by mistake.
You can use your bathroom and your kitchen sink as two separate areas to store your cleaning products.
Related: 6 Features to Look for In Green Cleaning Products
Store Cleaning Products in a Cool, Dry Place
If you live in Frisco, you will have noticed by now that you have big temperature and moisture changes throughout the year.
Temperature and moisture changes can weaken the effectiveness of a cleaning product, and extreme heat conditions can even make them useless.
This is because some products need to be stable in order for their properties to stay active. This is especially true for items such as soaps, which need to be in a solid state in order to work.
Therefore, try to make sure that your cleaning products pantry is as cool and dry as possible.
Cleaning products can also emit fumes that spread to other areas of your home through your HVAC vents. Avoid storing them in areas like basements, garages, or near furnaces or water heaters.
If you don’t have a cleaning pantry or available cabinets in your kitchen or bathroom, you can get yourself a 3-tier utility cart.
This will be perfect to store all your cleaning products while keeping them separate according to the type of product. Utility carts are compact and designed to fit everywhere!
A small cleaning caddy works just as nicely, especially for smaller bottles and cleaning items.
Wear Protective Gear and Proper Safety Measures
Even if they are mostly harmless, it’s always good to use the proper safety measures.
First of all, ventilate the area by opening up a window or a door. It’s not safe to stay in a closed space when using abrasive cleaners like bleach. Turn on fans, if you have them.
It’s important to let fresh air circulate and disperse any fumes that may be building up in the room.
Next, you have protective gear, which is usually safety gloves, masks, and goggles. You should also wear aprons or long sleeves to avoid spilling products on your arms or hands.
Related: We Still Wear Masks
Conclusion
There it is! Our guide to safely storing and handling cleaning products. Speaking about handling cleaning products, there’s no one better to do that than cleaning professionals.
Remember to check Dallas Maids of Frisco if you need maid services in the Frisco area. You can forget worrying about your bleach spilling all over your cabinets or breathing toxic fumes from oven cleaners. Don’t stress! We’ll handle your mess.
Follow our blog for more cleaning tips!