Laundry Pods Can Poison Kids

These laundry detergent pods are convenient, but they might look like candy to kids. Image: CPSC

New, single-use laundry pods are cute and colorful — and all too tempting to children, who are ending up in the emergency room when they eat one like candy.

That’s why the Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a safety alert, warning parents that children exposed to the chemicals in these pods are at risk of serious injury.

The commission is aware of 500 incidents involving children and adults injured by the liquid pods, which are made by several laundry detergent companies — not just Tide. 

The pods contain concentrated toxic chemicals and dissolve quickly when exposed to wet hands or saliva. If eaten, the pods can produce vomiting, drowsiness, throat swelling, difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness.

The CPSC recommends:

• Do not let children handle laundry pods.

• Keep pods sealed in original packaging and locked up out of your child’s sight or reach.

• If swallowed or exposed to the eye, immediately call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.

Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/blog/laundry-rooms/tide-pods-and-kids/#ixzz2H4WiUsLm