Keeping a Clean, Safe Home

What it is

Cleaning basics, and handling cleaning products safely (some are dangerous if mixed).

Why it helps you

A clean home protects your health and your peace of mind. A few safety rules prevent real harm.

This opens up

A healthier daily life.

Where to get help

If something gets swallowed, splashed, or breathed in

Poison Help line A free phone line that connects you to your local poison center. A trained nurse, pharmacist, or doctor tells you what to do.

Cost: Free and private.
Who can use it: Anyone in the US.
How to start: Call 1-800-222-1222. Have the product bottle with you if you can.
Good to know: You can get help in 161 languages. Most people get what they need over the phone and don’t have to go to a hospital. You can also call with questions before anything goes wrong.

webPOISONCONTROL An online tool. You answer a few questions about what happened, and it tells you what to do next.

Cost: Free
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Go to poison.org and start the online tool. There is also a free app.
Good to know: You need internet. If you’d rather talk to a person, call 1-800-222-1222.

Bugs, mice, and bug spray

National Pesticide Information Center Free, plain advice on getting rid of bugs and mice safely. They can also explain what a bug spray label means.

Cost: Free
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Call 1-800-858-7378, or read their pest guides online.
Good to know: Open Monday to Friday, except holidays. If you rent, tell your landlord about bugs or mice. In many places, getting rid of them is the landlord’s job.

Smoke alarms and fire safety

Red Cross free smoke alarms (Sound the Alarm) Red Cross volunteers come to your home, put in free smoke alarms, and help you make a plan to get out if there’s a fire.

Cost: Free
Who can use it: Households in areas where the Red Cross offers visits.
How to start: On the page, enter your ZIP code and sign up for a home fire safety visit.
Good to know: It isn’t offered everywhere, and it may not be offered all the time. If you rent, let your landlord know first.

U.S. Fire Administration: Smoke alarms Simple government tips on where to put smoke alarms and how to care for them.

Cost: Free
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Read the page. Press the “test” button on each alarm once a month.
Good to know: Some fire departments give out free or low-cost alarms. Call your fire department’s non-emergency number to ask.

Learn to clean, step by step

Find your local Cooperative Extension office Every state has a university “Extension” office that shares free, plain guides on everyday life. Topics include cleaning, mold, pests, and home care.

Cost: Free. Some local classes may charge a small fee.
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Pick your state. On your state’s site, search for “cleaning” or “home care.”
Good to know: You can call your county office and ask a question. You don’t need to be a student.

If you only do one thing first

Save the Poison Help number in your phone now: 1-800-222-1222. Then look at your cleaning products and find the ones with bleach in them. Bleach is the one product you never want to mix with anything else. Use one product at a time, open a window, and rinse with water before switching to another product. Cleaning doesn’t have to be perfect. Small, regular steps, like wiping the counter after cooking, are enough.

Watch out for

Mixing bleach with other cleaners. Bleach plus ammonia (in some glass cleaners) makes a toxic gas. Bleach plus acids (vinegar, some toilet and rust cleaners) makes chlorine gas. If you smell something harsh or your eyes or throat burn, leave the room, get fresh air, and call Poison Help.
Putting cleaners in food or drink containers. Keep products in their own bottles with the label on. Someone could drink from a cup or water bottle by mistake.
“Bug bombs” (foggers). They coat your home in poison and don’t reach where bugs hide. Ask NPIC or your landlord about safer options, like closed bait traps.
Taking the battery out of a smoke alarm. If it goes off while you cook, open a window and fan the air instead. A chirping alarm means the battery is low. Replace it.
Strangers offering a “free” inspection. People who knock offering free pest, water, or air checks often use scare tactics to sell expensive services. Don’t let them in, and don’t sign anything at the door.