(RxWiki News) With spring in full swing, you may be planning to do a deep house cleaning. But there are some spring cleaning health hazards you'll want to avoid.
Because many cleaning products can contain hazardous chemicals and lifting heavy objects can lead to injuries, it's important to follow these tips to keep yourself and your family safe during your next big cleaning session.
1. Cleaning Products
A deep clean may require moving furniture and more organization than a typical cleaning day. That may mean you have to leave cleaning products out longer than usual. Kids and pets can accidentally be exposed to these chemicals, resulting in injury.
These products can cause harm if they get on the skin or eyes and if they are are swallowed or inhaled.
Potentially harmful products may include the following:
- Acid cleaners: toilet bowl cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, tarnish removers
- Alkali cleaners: drain cleaners, oven cleaners, scouring powders, all-purpose cleaners
- Bleach (Note: Some products may not list the word "bleach" on the label when they actually do contain bleach. Other names for bleach include sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate peroxide.)
- Polishes and waxes
- Detergents (Laundry pods may appear like candy to young children and may pose a safety risk.)
Recommendations:
- Always follow product label directions.
- Never mix household cleaning products.
- Keep products away and out of sight for kids and pets.
- When handling cleaning products and cleaning, wear protective gear like gloves.
- Use cleaning substances only in areas with good ventilation.
2. Lifting and Moving Furniture
You may be moving furniture this spring. But many people overlook the possible dangers of moving furniture. Serious back injuries can occur if you do not follow the proper lifting techniques.
Recommendations:
- Never try to lift anything heavy on your own. (Lifting items heavier than about 50 pounds will increase your risk of injury.)
- Ask for help.
- Use proper lifting techniques:
- Use your legs to lift the item instead of bending over and using your back.
- Avoid twisting. This is especially important when bending forward while lifting.
- Keep your elbows close to your body and try to keep the item as close to your body as possible.
3. Ladders
Trying to clean ceiling fans or hanging pictures may require you to get on a ladder. Injuries involving ladders are more common than you think.
Recommendations:
- When climbing, maintain three-point contact on the ladder (two hands and a foot or two feet and a hand).
- Always face the ladder while climbing.
- Keep your body near the middle of the step. (Note: Keep your belly button within the ladder's width.)
- Position the ladder on a stable and level surface.
- Never place a ladder on boxes or another unstable base to gain additional height.
