Household cleaning products remain a major pediatric injury risk

Data published in Pediatrics have highlighted household cleaning products as a major cause of injury in pediatric patients 5 years and younger.¹

The study, conducted by researchers from the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, identified 240,800 emergency department (ED) visits in this population linked to cleaning product–related injuries between 2007 and 2022 in the United States. This indicates an injury every 35 minutes, though a decline in detergent packet injuries was reported after 2015.¹

“The post-2015 decline may be due to the implementation of safety measures, including child-resistant and opaque containers and delayed-dissolving, bitter-tasting packet films, said Rebecca McAdams, MPH, lead study author and chief research associate in the Center for Injury Research and Policy.¹

Common causes and diagnoses

Investigators conducted the study to evaluate patterns and trends of household injuries linked to household cleaning products among pediatric patients 5 years or younger treated at a US ED between 2007 and 2022.² These injuries were recorded in and extracted from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.

There were approximately 240,862 household cleaning product–related injuries treated in a US ED among children aged up to 5 years during the study period. Of these, bleach was reported as the most common cause, with a rate of 30.1%. This was followed by detergents in 28.6%. Common diagnoses included the following²:

• Poisoning in 64%
• Chemical burn in 14.1%
• Dermatitis or conjunctivitis in 11.2%

Detergent packets, spray bottles, and nonspraying containers were common sources of injury, with rates of 33%, 28.2%, and 19.7%, respectively. Overall, the data highlighted a consistently significant rate of household cleaning product–related injuries among children 5 years or younger.²

Vulnerable populations and product trends

These injuries also persist with new products that have entered the marketplace in the past decade. According to investigators, this highlights the need for stronger packaging standards, with a focus on commonly accessible containers such as spray bottles meeting child-resistant packaging requirements.²

Packets were introduced in 2012, leading to a rapid increase that peaked in 2015, then declined through 2022.¹ Despite this decline, McAdams noted that they remained the leading cause of detergent injury rates in 2022.

McAdams also highlighted the greatest risk of household cleaning product–related injuries in children aged 1 to 2 years, likely caused by developmental factors. At this age, children are unable to read labels warning about the dangers of cleaning products and are more likely to put objects in their mouth, increasing their risk.¹

The need for better prevention strategies

Since the publication of a prior paper about this topic, understanding of children’s ability to operate dispensing systems has improved. According to Laura McKenzie, PhD, senior study author and principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy, spray bottles were identified as a primary cause of household cleaning product–related injuries between 1990 and 2006.¹

McKenzie noted that this is likely because of these products’ availability in homes and ease of use. While injury rates from other storage sources such as kitchenware or bottles and containers decreased across the study period, there were no significant changes to the rate of injuries caused by spray bottles.¹

Based on this data, investigators highlighted ways parents and caregivers can protect children from household cleaning product-related injuries. These include safely storing cleaning products, keeping them in their original containers, and saving the national Poison Control line number of 1-800-222-1222.¹

“These findings underscore the urgent need for comprehensive prevention strategies that include safer packaging, public education, and environmental modifications to reduce children’s access to toxic household substances,” wrote investigators.²

References

1. Study finds household cleaning products remain a leading source of child injury. News release. Nationwide Children’s Hospital. April 2, 2026. Accessed April 2, 2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1122428
2. McAdams RJ, Shonia M, Roberts KJ, McKenzie LB. Cleaning product–related injuries treated in US emergency departments: 2007-2022. Pediatrics. Published April 2, 2026. doi:10.1542/peds.2025-074551