There’s always a push for all natural alternatives to the harsher chemicals common to American households. But if you’re like most people, your home still has its fair share of useful items that can be a hazard to children and pets if stored poorly. And in some cases, when stored together, more dangerous still.
So how do we manage these chemicals without putting ourselves in a position where cleaning and living are complicated?
You can find a simple summary to that answer in an infographic shared with us by SolvChem:
The text summary is this:
Be Conscious of What’s On The Labels
Many chemicals have particular conditions in which they must be stored. In some cases it’s as simple as keeping them away from heat. You would, in those circumstances, not want to store them near a stove or microwave, and also not in your laundry room.
Other times, consider what items can be kept in a pantry, or even in the garage, instead of under the sink. As convenient as the sink space can be, it might be best to keep the more toxic items like bleach somewhere else.
Check For Leaks
Some items like your general surface cleaner you probably use every day. But other things may be handy to have for certain situations, but otherwise sit in a closet for months at a time. For those items, it’s possible that you’ve had a can or container for several years.
In that time, the container might have corroded or become brittle. Moving things around might have damaged a corner, for instance, causing a slow leak. Since many of these chemicals can cause stains (or may have toxic fumes), and since it’s tough to know what can happen when chemicals combine, leaks can be a red flag.
Taking a few minutes to look through your storage areas every so often can prevent that. If you do find any damaged containers, discard them right away and clean up any leakage you see.
Use Labels, Especially If You Use Your Own Containers
It’s not unusual to use your own storage containers. But when you do it’s very important to label everything.
Beyond the inconvenience of forgetting where you put your paint thinner, for instance, if you don’t know what’s in various containers it’s impossible to organize them safely. And if there ever was some leakage from a spray can or something similar, wrappers and labels even on original containers can fade and peel off, causing the same problem.
Use Safe Disposal Methods, Whenever Possible
Some cleaning agents and other chemicals may not be safe to simply throw in the garbage. When in doubt, always check labels to see if there are special instructions for discarding.
Cities usually have hazardous disposal centers available as well, so when in doubt you can also opt for bringing a bunch of old chemicals there to safely be rid of them.