While the need to rid our homes of germs that could cause COVID-19 has transformed us all into Felix Ungers, taking things too far has actually caused a nationwide spike in calls to poison control centers and serious injuries.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report states that “exposures to cleaners and disinfectants reported to the National Poison Data System increased substantially” since the beginning of the pandemic. The spike in poisoning emergencies, year over year, is more than 20 percent.

The most common culprits, the CDC report indicated, have been bleach, non-alcohol disinfectants and alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Bleach doesn’t mix well with many other substances, including acids like vinegar. The report detailed an example of a harmful situation created when a woman tried to wash her produce in a mixture of bleach, vinegar and hot water, something she said a news report urged be done to clean the food. Instead, her efforts created chlorine gas that left her struggling to breathe and going to the hospital for treatment of her lungs.

Hand sanitizer has also sickened people. The CDC mentioned a toddler found unresponsive after drinking alcohol-based sanitizer. The child, who had a dangerously high blood alcohol level, spent two days in the pediatric ICU recovering. A a shortage of the cleaning substance has left people trying to make their own. If they add too much alcohol to the concoction, however, they can cause caustic burns to the skin.

The CDC report underscored a need to remind people about the precautions that must always be followed when using cleaning chemicals to avoid toxic exposures. To avoid problems cleaning, make sure you:

  • Read the instructions on the product label, paying attention to any mention of dangerous interactions.
  • Use only room temperature water to dilute chemicals.
  • Wear gloves – and even a face mask – when using the products.
  • Make sure there is adequate ventilation where you’re using the cleaners.
  • Keep all chemicals in a secure location out of the reach of children.
  • Wash your food with tap water to clean them, not soap.

Instead of overly vigorous cleaning to reduce your risk of COVID-19 exposure, follow the CDC recommendations for social distancing, hand washing and wearing a mask out in public.

If you worry that you or someone in your home has been exposed to a dangerous chemical, call the Connecticut Poison Control Center 800.222-1222 or 911.

Not feeling well? Call your healthcare provider for guidance and try to avoid going directly to an emergency department or urgent care center, as this could increase the chances of the disease spreading.

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