As a parent, it’s only natural that you would want the best for your kids — and it’s not just a matter of buying the best clothes or the latest toys. When it comes to hygiene practices, it’s all the more important to keep your curious little kiddos safe, healthy and well-protected at all times.
In their early years, children are more than eager to explore the outside world with their sense of touch, and even the most mundane of everyday items can seem fascinating to them. However, this innate sense of curiosity also exposes them to potentially hazardous substances, even without direct contact to the toxic culprits. Despite keeping household cleaning and disinfectant products out of reach from children, there’s a chance that you might leave behind invisible traces of chemical residue on regularly touched surfaces around the house, especially after a cleaning session. Being exposed to high levels of toxic contaminants can cause serious health concerns if it’s not properly addressed.
While these disinfectant products claim to be safe for kids on the label, this catchall term can be ambiguous and dangerously misleading. In fact, many disinfectants in the market are known to make use of toxic chemicals including alcohol and bleach, which can lead to potentially dangerous effects like skin inflammation and respiratory issues.
So the next time you step inside a store, pay attention to the product label!
Why is it important to read the product labels?
Many of us are accustomed to simply picking up a product off the shelf without sparing a glance at what’s written on the label. While these seemingly harmless products are marketed to be safe for children, most consumers fail to notice the fine print. The truth is that disinfectant products often contain warning signs that indicate safety hazards when ingested, and are not actually intended for children under a certain age as they are most at risk for putting objects in their mouth. Some keywords to look out for include caution, danger, toxic and warning.
To ensure that a product is truly safe to be used around your children, it’s important to check labels thoroughly and follow the instructions for safe and effective use. Remember to make sure that no warning symbols are present to prevent potential hazards!
How can we evaluate a product to be child-safe?
To put it simply, there’s no clear standard or formal certification that determines a product to be defined as child-safe. For example, items such as safety seats, pacifiers and baby carriers are tested to be safe for children based on several factors. One major aspect to look out for is that the product should be non-toxic and does not contain chemicals that might be harmful to your child. You should also find products that are hypoallergenic, which means the ingredients used in the product are unlikely to cause an allergic reaction in children.
So, what about disinfectants?
To give you a clearer idea of what you should take note of, we outline some basic guidelines that you can follow to make a more informed choice.
Here’s how to avoid toxic disinfectant products.
Labels aside, one should always conduct thorough research on any disinfectant product to validate their child-safe claims. Do a quick search online on the company’s manufacturing procedure, what the brand is known for, and whether there are any certifications and testings to back them up.
When evaluating the safety of a product, make sure that it ticks off all of these boxes.
Firstly, a safe disinfectant should not contain any traces of potentially toxic ingredients that could result in accidental poisoning. It should also be irritant-free so that it’s mild and gentle enough on your child’s tender skin, which can make it feel dry, sensitive and itchy. A good gauge is to maintain a pH neutral level of 6.5 to 7.2 to fall in the non-irritant range.
Most importantly, ensure that the product is safe to be ingested or inhaled. Many disinfectants can be poisonous when administered into the human body in any form – even a small amount of toxic residue can cause severe, life-threatening damage. This is also apparent in disinfectant sprays, as toxic chemicals can be accidentally inhaled by a child if they remain airborne.
For a safer and more effective solution, look towards BioCair. Unlike the common disinfectants, BioCair’s range of disinfectant products are proven to be non-toxic, non-irritant and alcohol-free, all while eliminating bacteria, viruses, fungus and spores without any harmful chemicals.
To give you ease of mind, rest assured that all our products have gone through stringent independent testing to ensure optimum safety standards. What’s more, they’re also tested to be safe for ingestion and inhalation so you don’t need to worry about your child coming into contact with the product. So, here’s the big question: Is BioCair child-safe? Absolutely!
Choosing the right disinfectant can help to protect your child from toxic dangers and keep them safe from harm’s way. With these tips, you’ll understand the risks and be better prepared to handle any unforeseen situations.