Health Canada Warns Parents and Caregivers about the Dangers of Miniature Detergent Packs

Health Canada is aware of incidents of children ingesting miniature laundry detergent packs. The lightweight, colourful single use detergent plastic packets dissolve in water. These brightly coloured packets with their squishy texture are attractive to children. Laundry detergents are powerful cleaning products that may contain ingredients which can lead to harmful health effects upon ingestion. Children who swallow the detergent packs may experience a variety of serious symptoms including severe abdominal pain, vomiting, or breathing difficulty.

Due to the hazards they pose to young children, laundry detergent packs should be stored in a location where they cannot be found or swallowed. Children should not play with any consumer chemical products. All cleaning products, including laundry detergent packs, should be stored in a locked cabinet or drawer and out of the reach of children. A child safety latch is an appropriate alternative. Call a Poison Control Centre or your health care provider right away. You can find phone numbers for the Poison Control Centre nearest you at the front of your local telephone book or by searching Poison Control Centre + (your province or territory) on the Internet. Read the label and follow instructions before every use.