All cleaners, even natural, low-tox, and human-safe varieties, require proper storage to extend shelf-life, prevent spills, and keep little ones, and pets, safe.

Plus, if you’re investing in good cleaning products and tools, you want to keep them organized and at-the-ready when you need them.

Here, we offer tips to help you keep your cleaning supplies organized and safely stored. 

Why Proper Storage Matters

Cleaning products are the second most common cause of unintentional poisoning in children under six worldwide, and they’re also a top hazard for pets.[1]

This is why we are so passionate about helping individuals and families switch to human-safe, pet-safe, and environmentally responsible alternatives.

That said, even some low-tox cleaners, such as hydrogen peroxide and vinegar should not be combined, swallowed, or splashed into the eyes. Essential oils can also be skin, eye, and lung irritants; and anything powdered should not be inhaled.

In addition, improper storage can lead to the breakdown of cleaning ingredients, making them less effective.

Finally, having your supplies organized will help you get to them fast when spills or messes pop up.

Related reading: 7 Toxic Cleaning Products To Avoid & Safe Alternatives

The Best Places To Keep Cleaning Supplies

The best places to keep your cleaning supplies depend on your home’s layout, who lives there (children, pets, etc.), the type of cleaning products you use, and how much space you have for storage.

The Garage

As a rule, we always recommend toxic synthetic chemical cleaners, such as bleach, ammonia, and fragranced products be stored outside the home in a garage, shed, or outbuilding.

This keeps them from releasing VOCs and other toxic fumes, which degrade indoor air quality over time and can cause health issues.

Not convinced this is an issue? Then take a stroll down the cleaning and/or laundry aisle of your local grocery or big box store and notice the smells coming from all those sealed bottles.

Just because they’re sealed doesn’t mean they’re not offgassing chemical fumes.

If you don’t have a garage or outbuilding, we have other options for you coming up.

Airtight Storage Bins

If you can’t store your chemical cleaners in a garage or outbuilding, airtight storage bins are the next best option.

These inexpensive bins will help minimize chemical outgassing and keep your cleaning supplies organized.

Important! Some cleaners create toxic gas, like chloroform, when mixed or even stored together (and remember, spillage can happen). 

Therefore, do not store the following cleaning products in the same bins:

• Bleach and ammonia
  
• Rubbing alcohol and bleach
  
• Hydrogen peroxide and vinegar
  
• Hydrogen peroxide and bleach
  
• Bleach-based toilet bowl cleaners and drain cleaners
  
• Drain cleaners and bleach
  
• Drain cleaners with other drain cleaners
  
• Drain cleaners with oven cleaners

Related reading: Is Sodium Hypochlorite (Bleach) Toxic?

Centralized Cleaning Cabinet

For human-safe, fragrance-free, low-tox cleaning products we recommend a centralized cleaning cabinet for organization and easy access.

If you have babies, children, or pets in the home, this should be up high and away from anything climbable, but close enough so you can reach it.

Shelving in a basement, laundry room, or kitchen are all good options for cleaning products, and keeping them in a caddy will make them easy to access when you need them.

Underneath the sink is another good place for cleaning products, so long as it’s dry and secured if you have children or pets in the home.

Well-Ventilated Spaces

It is essential that cleaning products be stored in clean, dry, well-ventilated areas which will help preserve their ingredients and cleaning power.

Therefore, places like linen closets, bathrooms, or kitchen pantries are out.

Places To Avoid Storing Cleaning Products

You want to avoid storing cleaning products anywhere they could present a hazard or where they could degrade more quickly.

Some places to avoid include:

Food Storage Cabinets

You don’t want to store your food in the same place you store your cleaning supplies, even if they are natural and low-tox.

The only exception would be if you have a large, airy, walk-in pantry with plenty of shelving. In that case, it may be fine to store natural, human- and pet-safe cleaning products on a designated shelf away from food.

High Humidity Areas

Humidity and cleaning products do not mix, as it can cause them to off-gas more and degrade faster.

Therefore, avoid spaces with high humidity such as closets, attics, and poorly ventilated spaces.

Note: We realize garages and outbuildings may have high humidity and not be the optimal place to store your synthetic chemical cleaners. 

However, it’s much better to have them off-gassing outdoors than in your home. And when they go bad, you can (ideally) switch to safer cleaners or buy new products. 

Your health is worth it!!

HVAC Intake Vents

HVAC intake vents are sometimes used to store cleaning supplies away from children and pets, especially in small spaces.

However, this is not a good idea due to the exchange of airflow that takes place, which will carry cleaning product fumes throughout the house.

The exception may be for natural or non-toxic cleaners with no fragrance or harmful chemicals, but it’s still not an ideal location.

Safety Tips For Storing Cleaning Supplies

We’ve covered some of this already, but given the prevalence of poisoning and injury from cleaners, it deserves its own section.

Here are some safety tips for storing natural and synthetic cleaning supplies.

Keep Products In Their Original Packaging

Whether they’re all-natural or synthetic, it’s safest to keep cleaning products in their original packaging.

This ensures everyone knows what’s in the bottle, which can prevent poisoning or harm, while minimizing your contact with the product and ensuring optimal shelf life.

Hydrogen peroxide, for example, which we love for natural disinfecting and as a bleach alternative, is in a dark brown bottle to protect it from degradation.

For this reason, we recommend affixing a trigger sprayer directly to the bottle for easy use without compromising its original packaging.

A True Story About The Importance Of Leaving Cleaners In Their Original Packaging 

A member of our team once told me that her mother accidentally ingested ammonia she had poured into a glass jar affixed with bandaids on the rim as a precaution so she’d remember it was ammonia. 

On her way to use the product, she got caught on the phone. While she was talking she started mindlessly playing with the bandaids, pulled them off, and drank the ammonia thinking it was water! 

Fortunately, she got immediate treatment and was fine, but it’s a cautionary tale about the importance of leaving cleaners in their original packaging!

Related reading: How To Clean With Hydrogen Peroxide: A Safer Alternative for Cleaning, Disinfecting, & More

Keep Them Out of Reach of Children And Pets

Children are fascinated with cleaning products, especially colorful ones. 

Once they reach the toddler stage they’re also adept at climbing, which makes keeping cleaning products out of their reach essential.

Likewise, pets are curious about cleaning products and/or may knock them over or open them by accident, leading to poisoning.

Parents are usually aware of this and store their products accordingly. 

However, grandparents, aunties, uncles, and caregivers should also take great care to store their cleaning products out of reach of children and pets.

On a personal note, we allow our older children to use Branch Basics products for cleaning with our supervision because they are so gentle and safe.

However, we still store our natural cleaners away from children and pets so they don’t inhale them (powders, especially), mix them incorrectly, drink them (because even natural soap can make you sick!), or get them in their eyes.

Related reading: Our Guide To Pet-Safe Cleaning Products

Separate Natural And Conventional Products

We hope that Branch Basics products and all the awesome content on our site has got you inspired to switch over to human-safe, low-tox, environmentally-friendly products.

However, if you’re in the process of switching over (well done!) and still have some conventional products, please separate them from the natural ones.

Ideally, you’ll have the conventional synthetic products stored outside the home or in storage bins, and the natural ones in a dedicated closet, cabinet, or cleaning caddy.

And remember, hydrogen peroxide should not be stored with bleach or vinegar.

Related reading: How To Dispose Of Cleaning Products Safely And Legally 

Toss The Toxins With Branch Basics

Life can be so much more simple when we use safer cleaning, laundry, and household products.

Yes, they still need to be stored properly, but you don’t have the lingering stress or worrying that they’re going to poison someone.

This is where a human-safe, plant- and mineral-based, biodegradable cleaning line, like Branch Basics, make all the difference.

Just one MADE safe-certified, naturally fragrance-free, and biodegradable Concentrate plus water creates every product you need to clean your home (All-Purpose, Bathroom, Foaming Wash, Streak-Free, Laundry & custom dilutions).

It’s the ultimate simple and natural system that’s easy to use, easy to organize, and safe for the whole family, including babies, children, pets, and the chemically-sensitive.

Our products are also third-party tested as non-skin and eye irritants.

Shop Branch Basics Starter Kits for everything you need to create a healthier, safer, and cleaner home.

Need more info about how the system works? See How To Get Started With Your Branch Basics Kit for a full written and video tutorial.

References:

1: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10422824/