The most dangerous cleaning products in your home

Kate Ng
·Trending Lifestyle Reporter
Updated ·4-min read
Laundry pods have been found to cause more harm when exposed to young children compared to traditional detergent. (Getty Images)
Laundry pods have been found to cause more harm when exposed to young children compared to traditional detergent. (Getty Images)

Cleaning products are a household necessity, as they can help keep our homes free of bacteria, dust, dirt, and more. However, most of them contain harmful chemicals that must be handled carefully by adults - and kept away from children.

But unfortunately, accidents can happen. McFly star Harry Judd and his wife Izzy were unlucky enough to experience such an accident when they had to take their three-year-old son Lockie to hospital recently.

Izzy shared the "traumatic" experience on Instagram and explained that Lockie was rushed to A&E after he got hold of a washing pod. She said the young boy had "burst open [the pod] and managed to get into his eyes very badly".

Alongside a black-and-white photograph of her holding her son’s hand, Izzy wrote: "It’s been a traumatic few days… the reason I’m sharing this is because I don’t want another family to experience this and although we all get told the risks of cleaning products at home, reminders are always important."

The author said she had forgotten to put the washing pods out of Lockie’s reach and "in that split second I wasn’t there", he had managed to get ahold of one.

"We rushed to the hospital… Lockie’s Ph levels in his eyes were 8 and they needed to be 7. It took all night flushing out Lockie’s eyes with 22 litres of fluid before finally getting the Ph down."

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A post shared by I Z Z Y J U D D (@mrs_izzyjudd)

Izzy expressed how grateful she and Harry were to the A&E nurses who "showed unbelievable dedication and kindness" to her and Lockie.

The mother-of-three added that her son’s right eye has been injured by the chemicals, but that they were “in the best hands” of specialists. She added a warning to other parents: "So please, please put cleaning products high up and completely out of reach - this has been my scariest moment as a mum, I’m so sorry for others who have experienced these kind of awful accidents too."

Commercial cleaning products contain powerful chemicals to help get rid of bacteria and keep other nasties at bay, but this means they are often dangerous to both you and your family.

When cleaning with these products, it's important to use protective equipment like rubber gloves and a face mask if necessary. These items should also be kept well out of reach of children, and any lids and caps should always be closed tightly when not in use.

These are the most dangerous cleaning products you probably have in your home:

Woman cleaning and polishing the kitchen worktop with a spray detergent, housekeeping and hygiene concept
Woman cleaning and polishing the kitchen worktop with a spray detergent, housekeeping and hygiene concept

Bathroom cleaning products often have bleach and ammonia to get rid of bacteria and stubborn stains. But these chemicals can also produce fumes that are dangerous and particularly toxic to the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs.

According to The Air Shop, these products have ingredients that can cause severe burns on the skin and eyes, or if ingested, to the throat and oesophagus.

Many popular laundry detergents contain harmful chemicals, especially scented laundry detergents. Research shows that liquid laundry detergent capsules - such as the one Lockie accidentally got ahold of - are even "more hazardous than exposures to traditional laundry detergents" and have become an "unexpected source of moderate- and high-severity injuries, particularly among young children".

There are some instances in which buying household cleaners with chemicals in them can't be avoided, but you can minimise the number of dangerous products in your home by making a few swaps.

Dr Julianne Barry from the London Doctors Clinic told Patient that alternative cleaning products such as those made by eco-friendly, natural brands are a good swap as they contain lower levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - which are found in the vapours of many common household cleaning products.

You can also make your own cleaners using pantry items like baking soda and vinegar mixed with water. However, you shouldn't mix these with other cleaning products, said chemist Dr Tim Bond.

He told Patient: "Mixing bleach and vinegar creates chlorine gas, which even at low levels can trigger coughing, breathing problems and burning, watery eyes. While combining hydrogen peroxide with vinegar creates peracetic acid, which is potentially toxic and can irritate the skin, respiratory system and eyes."

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