How to Store Cleaning Products
by Izzy Smith
(United Kingdom)
Each and every single one of us has a cleaning product of some sort, if not multiple cleaning products. So, we need to find a suitable, safe place to store them. There are two options to help you decide.
- You can either keep all cleaning products together in one place, or...
- You can choose to keep cleaning products in designated places in each room that the cleaning products belong to.
The choice is yours.
Nevertheless, no matter which of the two options you choose, there are still some factors to consider before picking the perfect spot to store your cleaning products.
The first thing you need to do is to decide on a location. A cabinet or cupboard of some sort is best, since it will look neater, and keep your products out of sight.
We keep medicines in a cabinet high up where it is out of the reach of children, yet many people keep cleaning products such as bleach under the kitchen or bathroom sink – wrong!
Whatever location you decide on, make sure that it is high up and out of the reach of children.
If you cannot find a high place, ensure that your cupboard is lockable and inaccessible to children.
You also need to ensure that your products do not remain in contact with food products, since it then becomes a risk to your health, should you accidentally ingest some of the cleaning products via cross contamination etc.
For example, a leak in a bleach bottle can cause some of it to end up on food. When that food is then eaten, the chemicals will also end up in your system. Products such as bleach can be very dangerous to your health and can even cause death, so be careful!
The chosen location should remain cool, even during the hot weather. Many products are flammable and will combust in heat.
Always check the labels, since they will also advise you to store the product under a certain temperature.
The original labels should never be removed.
Labels are for advertisement purposes and well as informative purposes. Not only will it prevent any mixture of detergents, but it will also give you cleaning guides and acceptable usage information.
Like cleaners should be kept together if you are going to store all products together. This means that bathroom cleaners should be kept together on one side of the shelf or cupboard and so on.
If you are storing products according to the rooms that they serve to clean, always ensure that you have the right products in the right cupboard. This is to avoid using the wrong product on the wrong surface. In some cases, using the wrong products on surfaces can cause damage and discolouration, which is very undesirable.
After you have finished using your product, always rinse and wipe the bottle. It is very common for some products to spill, especially if the bottle has a spray or a nozzle end.
Finally, products which are out of date should never be stored.
Having a regular clear-out of the cleaning cupboard will
ensure that your cleaning cupboard remains well organised, and will also ensure that any products out of date are disposed of.
Additional information such as disposal methods may also be found on the label, making it another good reason to keep all original labels on.
Storing your cleaning products effectively will ensure that your rooms are cleaned with the right products. Additionally, it also ensures your safety along with the safety of family members, children and even pets.