(HealthDay News) -- U.S. poison control centers report more than 2 million poison exposures annually. More than 90 percent of them happen in the home and involve common household items, such as cleaning products, detergents, medicines, vitamins, cosmetics and plants.
The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control advises you to do the following to make your home safer:
- Post the poison control number 1-800-222-1222 on or near every home telephone.
- Store all medicines, household products and personal care products in locked cabinets that are out of reach of small children.
- Know the names of the plants in your house and yard. Identify poisonous plants and place them out of reach of children and pets, or remove them.
- Monitor the air quality in your house. Place carbon monoxide monitors near the bedrooms in your house. Combustion (fuel-burning) appliances should be professionally installed and inspected annually.
- Always store household products in their original containers. Don't use food containers such as cups or bottles to store chemical products such as cleaning solutions or cosmetic products. Also check your home for lead-based paints.
- Always read the labels before using a potentially poisonous product. Never leave the product unattended while using it and return the product to the locked cabinet when you're finished.
- Avoid taking medicine in front of children because they tend to imitate adults. Do not call medicine candy. Follow directions on label when taking medicines and never share prescription drugs.
