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News Release
IU Health Methodist Hospital Telephone: (317) 962-2335
1701 N Senate Blvd
Contact: James Mowry
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
For Release: Immediate
April 1, 2015
IT’S TIME TO SPRING INTO A SAFE CLEAN-UP CAMPAIGN!
Winter is finally over and you and your family will probably be heading outdoors to fix up your
home, car and garden. During all this spring cleaning you will no doubt be making use of products that
are perfectly safe when used correctly but can be potentially poisonous when they are used incorrectly or
fall into the wrong hands. Now that the good weather is about to arrive, products that have been stored
during the winter months will be in daily use and if care is not taken, could be in easy reach of children.
Dr. James Mowry, Director of the Indiana Poison Center, would like to remind you that when
household and yard products are actually in use, children have much easier access to dangerous
substances. According to Dr. Mowry, “Young children should never be left alone with a potentially
poisonous product. If you are using one of these products and are called away from the area, take the
product or the child with you. Close supervision is one of the key factors in keeping children safe from
poison.”
The staff of the Indiana Poison Center reminds everyone to be especially careful when the following
products are in use:

Home cleaning products: alcohol, ammonia and detergents found in window cleaners and
furniture polish can be eye irritants. Alcohols can cause intoxication and decreased blood sugar in
children.

Whitewall Tire cleaners: Alkaline materials can be highly corrosive to the skin, plus toxic
solvents give off fumes.

Aluminum cleaners: Aluminum door and siding cleaners may contain various mineral acids, the
most dangerous containing hydrofluoric acid. Symptoms may be delayed and include severe pain
on the part of the body touched by the cleaner. If you spill this toxic product on your hands or
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face, wash your skin immediately with large amounts of water and then call the Indiana Poison
Center.

Paint thinners and turpentine: Breathing difficulties can occur if these products are swallowed
and get into the lungs. Drowsiness and heart problems may result if you inhale these substances
in significant amounts. If you do spill paint solvents on your skin, wash your hands thoroughly
and flush out your eyes if any should splash on your face. After removing the products from your
skin, call the Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 immediately for detailed treatment.
For those of you who enjoy gardening, keep these tips in mind to help protect you and your family.

Wear protective clothing when spraying herbicides, fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides

Do not spray upwind when it is windy

Keep children and pets away from sprayed areas until dry or for the time specified on the label

Take care not to spray near children’s toys, play gyms, sandboxes, bikes and pet food dishes

Store products in their original containers– you may know that the soda bottle in the garage
contains weed-killer, but to your thirsty child on a hot day it may look like something good to
drink. The container label also contains important information on how to use the product
correctly and should be followed.
Most importantly – never leave a sprayer unattended…. not even for a few seconds. Remember,
children act fast! Keep in mind that plants also cause a hazard for children, including the seeds that may
be mistaken for candy - many are coated with fungicides or insecticides. As you add new plants and
flowers to your yard, be sure to label each one clearly with the plant name. If your child does eat part of a
plant it is essential that you be able to tell the poison specialist exactly what was eaten; it is very difficult
to identify a plant by description alone over the phone.
Poisoning is, of course, only one aspect to keep in mind when trying to keep your children safe.
Buckets of water filled with sweet smelling liquid cleaners may be a potential poison hazard, but they also
present a real danger for drowning. Be sure to check all swing sets and other playground equipment your
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child uses. Swing sets should be well anchored and maintained and have chains and seats that are intact
and sound.
While you are doing your best to make your home a safe place for your child, it is just as important to
remind grandparents, other family members, neighbors, babysitters and any other people that your child
spends time with to follow these important safety tips.
To learn more about poison prevention and to receive a free magnet and phone stickers, call the
Indiana Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222, or visit the Center’s website at www.indianapoison.org. For a
poisoning emergency, call the Poison Center immediately at 1-800-222-1222 where experts are standing
by twenty-four hours a day to help you.
The Indiana Poison Center is an independent, non-profit, agency providing coverage and services for the entire state
of Indiana. It serves as both an emergency telephone service and an information resource center, with services
accessible to the general public and health care professionals 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. The IPC is the
designated Regional Poison Information Center for Indiana and is certified by the America an Association of Poison
Control Centers. It is a collaborative effort of the Indiana State Department of Health, Indiana University Health,
the Federal HRSA Poison Control Program and health care providers throughout the state.
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