The dangerous thing in most homes is not hidden. It is in a cupboard, in a nice bottle.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission says nearly seven in 10 poisonings occur at home. Its advice is simple.

  • Keep medicines in their original child-resistant containers. Never move them to unsecured ones. Same for household chemicals.
  • Lock up medicines and cleaning supplies, out of children's reach, and discard unused medicines properly.
  • Laundry packets: keep them in the original container, out of sight and reach, and do not let children handle them.
  • Button cell and coin batteries: keep products with accessible batteries away from children if the compartment lacks a screw closure or is damaged. Check toy battery compartments are secured, and do not let children play with these batteries.

After any exposure, call your local poison centre or a doctor. This page is general information, not medical advice.

When you shop

Look at the packaging before the price. CPSC's related warnings cite sellers that broke the mandatory child-resistant packaging standard, so a missing child-resistant cap is a reason to put it back.

Our guides on button batteries and magnets cover those hazards in more detail.

Last checked: 21 October 2026. General information, not legal, medical or financial advice. Sources: CPSC, Poison Prevention Information Center (undated; accessed 16 October 2026).