American Cleaning Institute Partnership – Packets Up!
The PA Foundation is partnering with the American Cleaning Institute’s (ACI) Packets Up! campaign to help raise awareness of the importance of educating patients and caregivers on safe storage and handling of liquid laundry packets to help decrease unintended exposures. Now in its sixth year, the Packets Up! campaign educates and motivates parents and caregivers to keep detergent packets up and out of reach of those at risk of accidental exposures.
Packets Up!
Laundry packets storage
Since their consumer introduction, laundry packets have become a familiar part of the daily laundry routine. These popular, easy-to-use, premeasured doses of laundry detergent have helped busy households clean clothes one load at a time. It’s convenient, which is great for busy parents, but it needs to stay out of the wrong hands. A few simple steps can go a long way toward preventing accidental exposures to these highly concentrated products.
Recent ACI survey revealed
- 43% of families with children under the age of four reported that their children can see liquid laundry packets when not in use; and
- Almost 20% of families with children under the age of four reported storing liquid laundry packets on an open shelf.
As a healthcare provider, you know educating patients and their families about wellness practices is a key component of health care and accident prevention. When discussing a safe environment at home, it can be helpful to remind parents and caregivers about things like storing household cleaners safely. Encourage them to organize their laundry rooms to make sure laundry detergents, in packet form or otherwise, are stored up and out of reach.
ACI and detergent manufacturers continue to work closely with public safety officials and consumer groups to identify best practices and understand accident causes to reduce their occurrence. Through this work, a new safety standard was developed to reduce inadvertent exposures which includes packaging, product, and labeling modifications.
Safe on the homefront
Start a conversation with your patients and caregivers about the importance of keeping Packets Up! and out of sight (and reach!) for those at risk of accidental exposures. This is particularly important for protecting children as well as adults showing signs of dementia and those with cognitive disabilities. ACI is a resource for cleaning advice and safe storage tips. Check them out at www.packetsup.com and join the conversation by following #PacketsUp.
Packets Up! In the News
April 19, 2019 – Today’s Homeowner interviews Brian Sansoni from the American Cleaning Institute about cleaning the safe way.
March 19, 2019 – Apartment Therapy shares important advice: don’t place your place liquid laundry packets in glass jars! Keep the product in its original packaging.