You’ve heard it before,

”Better to be safe than sorry.” There are always some chances 

in life we can afford to take, but risks that can affect your 

child’s health should always be prevented. By performing just 

a few common sense practices in a home, parents can ensure 

the well-being of their child’s health and future. Play it safe, 

and no one has to worry. 

Most poisonings happen in a child’s home, but some 

take place outside of it, such as while visiting the home 

of a friend, family member, or babysitter. For this reason, 

it’s critical that all caregivers of children make a roomby-room inspection of their homes for improperly stored 

pesticide products, things that are used to control or kill ants, 

cockroaches, mice, rats, or termites.

What are some common 

pesticides found around the 

house?

Common household pesticides include: 

• Roach sprays and baits; 

• Bath and kitchen disinfectants and sanitizers, 

including bleach; 

• Rat and other rodent poisons; 

• Insect repellents; 

• Products used to kill mold or mildew; 

• Flea and tick shampoos, powders, and dips for pets; and

• Weed killers.

The following home checklist provides a list of activities and 

action steps that can help parents and caregivers identify 

sources of pesticide and other household product dangers at 

home. The list is intended to remind you of the various places 

around the house that pesticide products can be found and 

what you can do as a parent or caregiver to protect your child. 

As you conduct a room-by-room inspection, get down to 

a child’s level so no potential hazards go unnoticed. If you 

answer “no” to any of the questions in the checklist, follow 

the action steps on the right to improve your child’s safety 

around the house. The activities recommended in this checklist 

are simple and easy to follow.

Poison-proof Your Home: 

One Room at a Time

Poison Control Centers' 

National Hotline

1–800–222–1222 

If you think someone has been poisoned 

from a household chemical, call 1–800–222–

1222 for your local Poison Control Center. 

This national toll-free number works from 

anyplace in the United States. 24-hours-aday, 7-days-a-week. Keep the number in or 

near your phone.

Pesticide Poison Prevention Checklist
EPA 735-F-07-010

Questions Action Steps

Bathroom

Did you inspect the bathroom and move toilet bowl cleaners, medicine, 

cosmetics, tile cleaners, bathroom deodorizers, mouthwash, and other 

personal hygiene products out of reach from small children in a high, 

locked cabinet?

Yes 

No

■ Re-close containers if interrupted during an application (e.g. 

phone call or doorbell). Make sure all harmful containers 

are fully sealed and out of a child’s reach during temporary 

absence. 

Are all medications and pesticide products, such as bathroom cleansers 

and mouthwashes, tightly sealed with child-resistant caps? 

Yes 

No

■ Read the Label First. Follow all directions exactly as they are 

written on the label, including any noted precautions and 

product restrictions.

Bedroom

Did you store items like mothballs, cosmetics, hair sprays, colognes, nail 

polish remover, and medicine products in a locked cabinet away from a 

child’s reach?

Yes 

No

■ Mothballs should be hung in containers. If such products 

are used in closets or chests, they should be stored out of 

children’s reach.

Living Room

Have you placed all ant or roach baits and rodent pellets 

out of children’s reach?

Yes 

No

■ Place roach and rodent baits in areas where children can not 

touch them. If possible, place rodent bait in a tamper-resistant bait station.

Kitchen

Did you store hazardous products like bleach, bug spray, drain cleaners, 

ammonia, floor wax, furniture polish, and disinfectants up high in a 

locked cabinet?

Yes 

No

■ If items cannot be moved up high, install safety latches on 

lower cabinets to keep children out.

Did you store household cleaning products, such as dishwashing 

detergent, disinfectants, oven and window cleansers, and drain 

cleaners in a place away from food?

Yes 

No

■ Pesticides and foods should never be stored on the same 

shelf as pesticides may be mistaken for food.

Are all kitchen cleanser, drain opener, and ammonia substances in their 

original containers?

Yes 

No

■ Keep all substances in their original containers. Using 

beverage bottles or cans for storing cleaning liquids and 

other household mixtures is very dangerous and may be 

mistaken for a drink. Plus, labels on original containers give 

first-aid information in case of accidental poisoning.

Are all cleaning liquids and medicines properly sealed? Yes 

No

■ Keep potentially hazardous cleaning products and medicines 

properly closed while using, even if a container is briefly left 

unattended.

Garage

Did you store gasoline, kerosene, car wax and soaps, weed killers, 

pesticide sprays, paint, windshield washer fluid, and anti-freeze 

substances up high out of the reach of young children?

Yes 

No

■ Poisonous anti-freeze tastes sweet to dogs and cats—

clean up spills and leaks immediately.

Have you stored all hazardous fluids and pesticides high in a locked 

cabinet where children can’t gain access?

Yes 

No

■ Store all hazardous fluids and pesticides high in locked 

cabinets where children can't gain access.

Laundry Room

Are chemicals and laundry detergents or softeners out of the reach of 

young children?

Yes 

No

■ Using bottles and cans for storing detergents can be 

dangerous. Also, labels on original containers provide critical 

first-aid instruction in case of accidental poisoning.

Is the bleach container closed properly? Yes 

No

■ Keep all laundry and cleaning substances in their original 

containers.

For more information on pesticides or pesticide poisoning prevention, refer to EPA’s Pesticides Program 

Web site at www.epa.gov/pesticides, or call the National Pesticide Information Center at 1-800-858-7378.

Poison Control Centers' national 

hotline number: 1-800-222-1222

Pesticide Poison Prevention Checklist