When Convenient is Dangerous: Laundry/Dishwasher Detergent Pods

updated on April 4, 2015

By Paul Zalewski, dad of two girls, pillow fort expert, lego enthusiast, and purveyor of fine situational dad jokes.

More than 17,000 reports were filed with US poison control centers in 2012-2013 of kids under the age of six (two-thirds or these were kids 1 or 2 years old) who swallowed or bit into laundry/dishwasher detergent pods. If you don’t know what these are, they’re the small, clear packets of laundry or dishwasher detergent that have become popular recently). That’s a lot. Why so (relatively) common? The packets are often colorful, small, and look like candy or food to kids. They’re also easy to drop and the clear packets are meant to dissolve and be easy to open since that is what they’re designed to do in the dishwasher or clothes washer.

So, while these packets are convenient, take extra care when handling and storing or stick with regular detergent – also safely stored, of course.

Sources/Further Reading

Journal of Pediatrics study on laundry detergent pods

Although convenient, dishwasher or laundry detergent pods can be a safety issue for babies, toddlers, and kids

Paul Zalewski

Paul is a bulletproof coffee addict and co-founder of Fathercraft. He was afraid to even hold a baby before his first daughter was born. Paul has a rare genetic mutation that makes him incapable of understanding memes.

Paul Zalewski

Click for dad jokes

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