Surprisingly, a lot of common household items can be harmful, even fatal, if swallowed! To avoid poisoning yourself, read and follow instructions on the labels! The labels will tell you how to use and store the product, and more important, what to do if you accidentally swallow it. Often the label provides a phone number for poison control because, believe it or not, sometimes people mistakenly ingest (meaning, swallow) poisonous chemicals. If this happens to you, don’t panic and don’t be embarrassed, call the number on the container! One teen we know gargled with nail polish remover by accident because she thought it was mouthwash! She immediately called poison control and they walked her through what to do.

Accidental ingestion also applies to medications. A lot of families store their medications in one area making it easy to grab the wrong bottle by mistake. So, before you swallow any medication, make sure you’ve opened the right bottle, and the pills are the right shape and color. If you swallow the wrong pills call the number on the bottle and ask what to do. For prescription drugs that number is the pharmacist. You can also call your doctor, poison control or 911.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers is 800-222-1222. 24/7. 

Or, Website: www.aapcc.org

Always store all medications and potentially poisonous items out of the reach of small children. Make sure they are in locked cabinets (or cabinets that have safety latches) or in cabinets that are out of a child’s reach. Keep tops on medications, preferably ones that are child proof. 

To make you more aware of the many items that could be poisonous in your house here is a list of some of the items about which you need to be careful, categorized by room:

Bathroom:  Medications, mouthwash, hair spray, toilet bowl cleaner, ointments and antiseptics, all cleaning supplies, rubbing alcohol

Bedroom: mothballs (usually found in closets or sweater chests), perfumes, colognes and after-shaves, nail polish, nail polish remover

Kitchen: All cleaning products, rust removers, drain cleaners, polishes, oven cleaner, most supplies found right under the sink

Garden or shed: pesticides, fertilizers, pool cleaners, paint thinner, paint remover, deer and rodent protectant, insect repellent