- American Cleaning Institute Highlights Important Reminders for National Baby Safety Month
- Visit www.packetsup.com For Key Safety Tips
This National Baby Safety Month, as parents grapple with the continued stress and distractions caused by pandemic parenting, remote working and lack of child care options, the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) urges families to remain mindful of important baby and toddler safety habits when it comes to cleaning throughout the home.
While cleaning has become more crucial than ever in helping keep Americans healthy and safe, the proper use and storage of cleaning products remain just as important to protect children from unintentional poisoning exposures.
For many working families, child care plays an important role in the ability for parents to maintain employment successfully. Yet research shows nearly one-third of child care centers never reopened due to the COVID-19 pandemic (American Sociological Association), meaning millions of children remain at home. As parents are forced to play the dual role of dedicated employee and engaged caregiver, they are often times exhausted, distracted and vulnerable to overlooking basic safety practices that could expose children to home-related injuries.
One area of the home that is an increased risk for children is the laundry room. In fact, while new parents will do more than 700 loads of laundry before their baby turns one (The Bump), the laundry room is often overlooked when it comes to safety. A recent ACI survey revealed 32% of Americans keep their liquid laundry packets where a child could see them, and one in three do not consistently store these products up and out of reach from young children.
To help further educate parents and caregivers on proper safe storage practices when it comes to the laundry routine, ACI is continuing the Packets Up campaign, an industry effort working to reduce the number of accidental exposures to liquid laundry packets among children and vulnerable adults.
“We know just how stressful it can be for the moms, dads and caregivers who are performing double duty at home when it comes to working and taking care of young children. That’s why we are encouraging families this September as part of National Baby Safety Month, and year-round, to prioritize safety in their daily routines, particularly in the laundry room,” said Brian Sansoni, ACI Senior Vice President, Communications. “Proper storage of liquid laundry packets and all household cleaners is a simple yet effective way to keep your family safe.”
ACI urges parents and caregivers to view these online safety tips to implement into the laundry routine:
- See It Through Their Eyes: Take a break from work and take a step back to observe the home through a child’s eyes. Check for open cleaning product containers and ensure that any products are out of sight and reach.
- Store not Décor: Always keep liquid laundry packets in their original packaging, which is designed to be difficult for children to access. Never display packets in a clear or glass jar where they could attract the attention of curious children.
- Up & Away: Designate a spot in the laundry room to keep liquid laundry packets and other products up and out of sight and reach of little ones.
- Store to Storage: Have cleaning products bagged separately at the grocery store and put them in their designated storage location immediately after arriving home.
- Educate Others: Share these safety tips with other caregivers (grandparents, friends, etc.) who may be watching your children to ensure products are properly stored at all times.
ACI remains dedicated to providing advice and guidance for parents and caregivers on safe storage practices. To learn more and for additional resources, visit PacketsUp.com.
The American Cleaning Institute® (ACI – www.cleaninginstitute.org) is the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry® and represents the $60 billion U.S. cleaning product supply chain. ACI members include the manufacturers and formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and chemical distributors. ACI serves the growth and innovation of the U.S. cleaning products industry by advancing the health and quality of life of people and protecting our planet. ACI achieves this through a continuous commitment to sound science and being a credible voice for the cleaning products industry.
These findings emerged from an Ipsos poll conducted February 16 – 17, 2021 on behalf of the American Cleaning Institute. For the survey, a sample of 1,005 adults ages 18 and over from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for all respondents.