Bobby Mitchell was two years old when he wandered into a storeroom, found a bottle of bleach and drank it. He spent time in hospital, and it easily could have been fatal. Decades later, when he and his wife Kim Gilliland were expecting the first of their three daughters, that childhood scare shaped the way they ran their home.
For the rest of us, it’s a timely nudge to check what’s under the kitchen sink. Here’s how to childproof your cleaning cupboard, and what to do if the worst happens.
Why little kids and cleaning products don’t mix
Children aged one to three are the most at risk of accidental poisoning. They’re mobile and curious, and they explore the world with their mouths. They’re also surprisingly good at opening things. Bright bottles look like drinks, and colourful laundry and dishwasher capsules look a lot like lollies.
Most accidental poisonings happen at home. A lot of them happen while the product is being used: the bottle is on the bench, a parent turns to answer the door, and two seconds is all it takes.
How to childproof your cleaning cupboard
Go up, then lock it. Store cleaning products at least 1.5 metres off the ground, in a cupboard with a child-resistant lock or latch. The cupboard under the kitchen sink is the classic danger zone, so move things higher if you can.
Don’t rely on child-resistant lids. They slow kids down, but they aren’t childproof. A determined toddler with time on their hands will often get there.
Keep products in their original containers. Never decant cleaning products into drink bottles, cups or jars. Apart from the obvious risk, the original label has the ingredient information poisons specialists will ask for.
Put it away straight after use. It’s easy to leave the spray bottle on the bench while you finish wiping down. Make putting it away part of the job.
Take care with dishwasher and laundry capsules. Keep them in a locked cupboard, and only add detergent to the dishwasher just before you run it. Don’t leave it sitting in an open dispenser.
Don’t forget other people’s houses. Grandparents, friends and holiday rentals may not be set up for small children. Do a quick scan of low cupboards, bathrooms and laundries when you arrive.
Look beyond the laundry. Medicines, essential oils (eucalyptus oil is a common culprit in Australia), dishwashing tablets, garden products and button batteries all need to be stored safely too.
What to do if your child swallows a cleaning product
Stay as calm as you can, and act quickly.
- Take the product away and remove anything left in their mouth.
- Call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26. The line is free, available 24/7 across Australia, and staffed by specialists who will tell you exactly what to do. Have the container with you so you can read out the ingredients.
- Don’t try to make your child vomit. With corrosive products like bleach, vomiting can cause more damage on the way back up.
- If the product is on their skin or in their eyes, rinse with plenty of running water while you call for advice.
Call 000 immediately if your child is unconscious, having trouble breathing, having a seizure or is very drowsy.
Kiddo tip: Save 13 11 26 in your phone now, and in your partner’s, your babysitter’s and the grandparents’ phones too. It’s the number you’ll be glad you never had to search for.
Do low-tox cleaning products help?
Many parents are switching to gentler, plant-based cleaning products, and there are good reasons to. They’re often kinder to sensitive skin and better for waterways.
Bobby and Kim are among them. After his childhood bleach scare, Bobby didn’t want harsh chemicals in the house when Kim was pregnant with the first of their three daughters. Drawing on his background in mechanical and chemical engineering, he started experimenting with soapnut berries, a natural cleanser used for thousands of years, in a giant soup pot in their Shanghai kitchen.
It took two years of trial and error to get the formulas right. In 2012, the couple launched Soapnut Republic and began selling across Asia and Scandinavia. After moving home to Cape Paterson, Victoria, at the start of the pandemic, they launched the range in Australia this year.
The Australian-made range includes hand soap, dish soap, laundry liquid and multipurpose spray, all made in Melbourne from Bobby’s original formulas. Each product contains soapnut berry extract, plant-based ingredients and pure essential oils. The brand says the products are biodegradable, gentle on sensitive skin and naturally low-sudsing, which means less water is needed for rinsing.
“I’m a mum of three children. I needed products to actually work,” Kim says. “Our products have not only been tested in a lab, but they have been tested for years in our family home.”
Every parent knows how fast it happens. You turn around for a moment and suddenly there’s silence, which is never a good sign. A locked cupboard and a number saved in your phone take five minutes to sort out, so do it today.
For more child safety advice, visit Kidsafe SA at kidsafesa.com.au
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