Ways of using household chemicals
In cleaning the home, cleaners, degreasers and disinfectants, baking soda and vinegar are used. The label of each product is read and followed for which surface it is meant and how long it must act: for example, a degreaser is put on baked-on stains on a gas hob and left for 1–5 minutes to work. When cleaning a stain or light dirt, the abrasive side of a sponge can scratch the surface, so the soft side is chosen. Tea or coffee stains can be removed with baking soda. Wiping dry surfaces in one direction leaves no marks, a microfibre cloth saves time, and vacuuming first and wiping dust afterwards keeps the home cleaner. For safety: wear rubber gloves, ventilate the room, never mix different products (chlorine-based products with acidic or ammonia ones can make toxic gas), keep them in their original packaging out of children’s reach, and never pour them into food or drink containers. If a product gets in the eyes, tell an adult at once and rinse the eyes with plenty of water; if it is swallowed, do not try to cause vomiting — call an ambulance (103) at once and show the doctor the packaging.
Label-reading exercise: using empty-bottle labels the teacher provides in class, find warning signs such as “flammable”, “avoid contact with eyes”, “keep out of reach of children”. Draw them in your notebook. Do no experiments by mixing any products.