Are you a professional, a property manager or an office manager who works in a school, commercial office or medical practice in the London area? If so, part of your job may be handling cleaning products that could be toxic. When cleaning products containing toxic chemicals are used properly, they’re relatively safe. But when they’re not handled or stored the right way, serious accidents can occur that could even be fatal. Here are nine tips on how to handle cleaning products that can be toxic, along with some considerations and warnings.
- STORE CLEANING PRODUCTS IN ROOMS WITH GOOD VENTILATION
One of your main considerations when using or storing cleaning products that could be toxic is ventilation. In other words, the room where you use or store your cleaning products needs to have good air circulation. Consider both the layout and size of the room as well as the physical state of a product. For example, is the material a powder, a paste or a liquid? Also, consider the chemical properties, such as odour threshold, boiling point and vapour pressure.
- DON’T MIX TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLEANERS
It’s critical that you never combine two different kinds of cleaning products. This is even more important for products that contain chlorine (bleach) and ammonia as this can lead to producing chloramine, which is a gas that can result in severe breathing issues. Even worse, this condition can be fatal when inhaled in large quantities.
- INSTALL CLEAR SAFETY SIGNAGE IN SEVERAL LANGUAGES
Be sure all your cleaning products include safety signage. What’s more, have the safety information written in more than one language. An even better solution is to use symbols and images that anyone can understand. This is the best way to let others know of the potential safety hazards, along with the precautions linked with the chemicals.
- GET RID OF OLD CLEANING PRODUCTS
Check the dates of your cleaning products. If you’re like most people, you probably have some cleaning products that have been sitting on a shelf for years. However, you need to remove any products that you haven’t used for six months, besides know how to properly dispose of them.
- USE THE LEAST AMOUNT NEEDED
 Usually, when working with toxic materials, you need to use only the least amount needed for doing the job. This is to stop toxic vapours, mists, gases or dust from being released into the air of a workplace.
- SEAL CONTAINERSÂ
Make sure that all your containers are tightly sealed when they’re not being used. As for empty containers, keep them closed and in a separate area as they may have some harmful toxic residue.
- DON’T STORE CLEANING PRODUCTS ON HIGH SHELVES
If possible, store cleaning products on shelves that are below eye level. Consider that storing containers on high shelves can make it more likely for dropping them, which can cause damage and serious injury.
- NEVER USE PRODUCTS THAT ARE MISSING A LABEL
When coming across cleaning products that lack a label and important information, do not use them. Keep in mind how every hazardous cleaning product must be labelled with clear instructions on using dangerous chemicals.
 9, WEAR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
 When using cleaning products that may contain toxic material, be sure to protect yourself by wearing the correct protective clothing and equipment. You want to protect your skin, eyes and respiratory system.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS AND WARNINGS
- Always store chemicals away from any HVAC intake vents because this can help in preventing fumes from scattering to other locations in a facility.
- Ensure the area where you store your cleaning products is not subjected to direct sunlight.
- Never flush chemical wastes down a sanitary drain or sewer since this is both unsafe and illegal.
- Don’t take cleaning chemicals out of their original containers and never mix chemicals.
CONTACT US
Besides not having the needed time for cleaning a home or workplace, most people don’t have the knowledge on how to properly clean a facility so that it’s entirely spotless and safe. Why not hand over this job to a highly trained and experienced cleaning specialist. Contact us to learn more about our wide range of professional commercial cleaning services.
