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.

Zapping sponges may have unexpected results

The reports last week stating that zapping sponges in a microwave oven can kill most household germs no doubt were welcome news for those who fear what might lurk in their kitchen sponge. But take them with a grain of salt, or at least a healthy dose of caution. The reports, based on a recent University of Florida study, stated that a sponge tossed into a microwave will shed most of its germs within two minutes of cooking, with the rest gone after between four and 10 minutes. "Consumers ... can use microwave ovens to significantly reduce microbial pathogens in the home environment," wrote the authors in an article that appeared recently in the Journal of Environmental Health (JEH).

While microwaving wet sponges to sterilize them has been practiced for a number of years — the JEH ran a similar report back in 1999 — some of the nuance was apparently lost in translation (and in most news reports). Overeager consumers who tried to repeat the experiment at home found themselves trading microbes for smoke. According to Reuters, a number of consumers tried to clean dry sponges in their microwaves, resulting in smoke, flames, and ruined microwaves. After microwaving a sponge, "our entire house stinks like a burning tire for several hours," one commenter told the news service. The university has issued a clarification stating that "to guard against the risk of fire, people who wish to sterilize their sponges at home must ensure the sponge is completely wet."

We have a better idea:  Clean the sponge with the dishes the dishwasher, placing it in the covered part of the utility basket so it won't fall onto the heating element. Models that meet requirements for the NSF mark (left) are certified to get hot enough for long enough to kill bacteria, at least on the sanitize cycle. Or use wet paper towels and soap to clean up spills and countertops after working with especially risky foods like raw chicken and ground beef. Toss them in the trash and wash your hands when you're through and you'll be reducing your risk of cross contamination in the kitchen, with no risk of smoke and fire.

Fabuloso's better bottle - thanks to you

In March 2006, after being alerted by a Consumer Reports reader, we reported on all-purpose cleaners whose packaging may entice children to drink them (see photo).  The vivid-colored, sweet and fruity-smelling bottled cleaners also lacked child-resistant caps, which federal law does not require, since their labels described the products as cleaners.  One of the products highlighted in the report was Colgate-Palmolive's Fabuloso, a multi-use cleaner whose packaging resembles that of a fruity energy drink. In the wake of our story, Colgate-Palmolive promised to use a child-proof cap on Fabuloso later this year.  Well, it’s later this year, and Consumer Reports shoppers recently purchased a bottle of Fabuloso with the child-safety cap.  Although the bottle still resembles an energy drink, we are happy Colgate-Palmolive has redesigned Fabuloso’s cap to make it safer for children, and hope other manufacturers will follow their lead.               

Fabuloso's new child-proof cap illustrates how Consumer Reports reader letters raise awareness about important product safety hazards, and contribute to prompting changes in the marketplace. We advocate contacting both the Consumer Products Safety Commission and Consumer Reports with product safety concerns. One of the important benefits of contacting Consumer Reports along with the CPSC is that our reader letters allow us to gather information on specific product brands, makes and models, such as Fabuloso, in order to analyze and address complaints.   

Consumer Reports receives a wide variety of letters concerning products such as air cleaners, popcorn, cars, and toothpaste.  A recent analysis of our reader letter database found the top 5 most common Consumer Reports reader letter topics are:

1. Lead in electrical cords
2. Microwave ovens turning/staying on
3. Light bulbs burning/melting
4. Toaster ovens staying on
5. Heating pad fires

We would like to thank our readers for providing us with important product safety information.  Let’s keep working together with the CPSC to help address product safety concerns!  You can email us at SafetyLetters@cro.consumer.org or write to us at 101 Truman  Avenue, Yonkers, New York,  10703-1057.