One in Three Americans Still Practice Unsafe Storage of Popular Laundry Products

Washington, D.C. – June 4, 2021 – During the pandemic, with many Americans wanting to beautify the homes they were spending so much time in, laundry room makeovers became a more popular trend – and there are no signs of it letting up. As National Safety Month gets underway, the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) is reminding everyone not to forget the common-sense steps we need to take to keep our children safe in the home.

Recent data from ACI shows a need for continued safety education and awareness when it comes to using and storing liquid laundry packets and other household cleaners. In fact, 32% of Americans admit keeping their packets in a place where a child could see them and 29% do not consistently store these products up and out of reach. 

Store Not Décor

Popular storage trends are frequently seen on social media that prioritize style over safety, like storing products in clear or glass containers. To combat this, ACI launched the Store Not Décor Challenge to raise awareness of this unadvisable trend and educate on proper safe storage habits. The Challenge is driven by digital influencers across popular social channels like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

“Keeping the product in the package is a simple step to a safer home,” said Brian Sansoni, ACI Senior Vice President, Communications & Outreach. “ACI’s ‘Store Not Décor’ campaign reminds parents and caregivers to never sacrifice safety for style and keep liquid laundry packets out of sight and reach of children and in their original containers.

“Follow the hashtag #StoreNotDecor on your favorite social media platform and share your pictures of how you safely and securely store your laundry packets and other cleaning products.”

Safety Innovations

In the last decade, detergent manufacturers have integrated several innovations to ensure that laundry packets not only work but are also safe when used as directed. Safety advancements made to the packet, include:

• Increased packet burst strength
• Faster dissolution in less water and colder water
• Slower dissolution in saliva
• Added bittering agent

Liquid laundry packet packaging design and safety features were also implemented to help deter accidental exposures among young children, but only work if families use these features correctly.

ACI remains dedicated to providing crucial resources and guidance to help families and caregivers alike understand and integrate safe practices at home. This National Safety Month, check out our new laundry safety video to learn more about laundry packet innovation and important safety reminders or visit PacketsUp.com.

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The American Cleaning Institute^® (ACI – www.cleaninginstitute.org) is the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry^® and represents the $60 billion U.S. cleaning product supply chain. ACI members include the manufacturers and formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and chemical distributors. ACI serves the growth and innovation of the U.S. cleaning products industry by advancing the health and quality of life of people and protecting our planet. ACI achieves this through a continuous commitment to sound science and being a credible voice for the cleaning products industry.

These findings emerged from an Ipsos poll conducted February 16 – 17, 2021 on behalf of the American Cleaning Institute. For the survey, a sample of 1,005 adults ages 18 and over from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for all respondents.