Avoid a Chemical Catastrophe

As warmer weather approaches, our minds turn to tackling major projects – from a full home de-clutter to finishing the back deck. Take the time now to make sure that none of your chemicals are expired and replace any that are.

Organize Anything has come up with some great tips to ensure that your household cleaners last as long as possible, what to do with expired materials and how to avoid a meltdown.

1. A cool, dark place. All chemicals should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place like in the basement or the shed. Avoiding exposure to light and air will increase the shelf life of all products. Make sure that you lock the storage space if you have small children or pets in the home.
2. Wash up afterwards. Wash any rags that were used for cleaning or chemical application in hot water and detergent before storing. If not, the chemicals could combust, starting a fire.
3. Storage. Don’t store any chemicals or pain in used food or beverage containers. Someone may mistake the contents for food and ingest them before the mistake is realized.
4. Quality, not bulk. When buying chemicals and paint, spend the money on environmentally friendly product. Also, buy small quantities so you won’t have large containers sitting unused in your home.
5. Not down the drain! Household cleaners should never be thrown out by pouring them down the drain – even if they’re bathroom or floor cleaners. When you have expired products, store them together and take them to a chemical drop-off. If your community doesn’t have a designated facility, wait until the city holds a drop-off fair.
6. Go green. There are many environmentally friendly solutions that can be made at home for cleaning purposes. Try mixing vinegar and water to use instead of surface cleaners.

Follow these simple tips and tricks when it comes to storing your household chemicals and you’ll avoid a chemical meltdown.

If you found the information in this article useful and you’d like to share it, please feel free; just remember to credit Organize Anything.

For more great tips and information on our services visit us at www.organizeanything.com and be sure to follow us on Twitter @organizenow. You can also find Organize Anything on Facebook at facebook.com/organizeanything!

Colette Robicheau ASP, CRSS, CPO-CD ®, Master Trainer in CD and Organization
©2011 Organize Anything – The Professional Organizing Companyr
Phone: (902) 233-1577
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