10 tips to keep spring cleaning safe

With spring now upon us, we thought now might be a good time for a refresher on some seasonal safety issues. As part of Consumer Reports' Spring Cleaning Guide, we're offering a set of safety tips, including 10 ways to reduce your exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as those in some common cleaning products. Toilet cleaners, for example, can contain hydrochloric acid, which can also burn skin. Oven cleaners can contain sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, both of which are extremely corrosive to eyes, skin, and lungs. And scouring powder may contain chlorine bleach, which should never be mixed with other cleaners because of the risk of forming toxic gases. You can find the full set of tips here. And, no, we still haven't found a suitable replacement for one vital cleaning ingredient: elbow grease.