FRIDAY, April 10, 2009 (HealthDay News) -- Mixing your own cleaning products at home could be a recipe for disaster.
The Soap and Detergent Association warns consumers that instead of saving money or creating a more effective cleaner, you might be creating a safety hazard for yourself and others.
Homemade cleaners, even those made with natural products, could cause harm to the user, others and even the item that is being cleaned, the association says.
"When it comes to making your own cleaning products, consumers should think twice before mixing once," Nancy Bock, the association's vice president for education, said in a news release issued by the group. "There can be serious safety implications if proper care is not taken. In the frantic haste of an emergency situation, will the person who made the mix-at-home product know exactly what to tell a Poison Control Center on the phone?"
Also, if left unlabeled or improperly stored, the cleaner might accidentally be consumed by someone, especially a child or pet, the association says, And, without proper testing, the concoction might prove to be an irritant to skin or eyes or damaging to a wood floor or a kitchen counter.
Whether cleaning products come from a store or are created at home, the association recommends these precautions be taken:
The association suggests posting the emergency number near all home phones and adding it to all cell phones.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more poison prevention tips.