The Safety Reason You Should Avoid Storing Cleaning Supplies Under Your Kitchen Sink

The cabinet under your kitchen sink may seem like a handy place to hide away clutter. In fact, many organization experts actually recommend keeping unsightly and bulky items like boxes of trash bags, jugs of dishwashing liquid, and cleaning supplies in that exact spot. However, there is actually a really important safety reason why you shouldn't keep kitchen cleaning products under your sink, and that's because many of them contain flammable or corrosive materials that require careful storage. 

Storing caustic cleaning products that contain bleach or ammonia together is a kitchen cleaning mistake that could get toxic due to the risk of an accidental spills and a resulting chemical reaction. If your garbage disposal or one of the pipes under your sink springs a leak, the dripping water could also cause the packaging on cleaning products to degrade, making accidental spills more likely. The products inside could then potentially interact with each other, or even damage your kitchen cabinets or flooring. Not to mention that the area under the sink is also more easily accessible to pets and small children. They could accidentally chew on, play with, or ingest dangerous cleaning items like dishwasher pods. 

Another huge concern is that many kitchen cleaning chemicals, like oven cleaner and disinfectant spray, are flammable and may be stored in aerosol or pressurized cans. These items should be kept away from hot and humid spaces as they pose a risk of fire or explosion. Being stored near water or electricity, such as close to your dishwasher, garbage disposal, or water purifier, could even cause a spark that ignites them.

If you've recently discovered that your cleaning products are one of the things you're storing in the kitchen all wrong, we're here to help. Always read the labels on products to determine the recommended storage requirements. Any cleaning products that are flammable should be kept in a cool, dry place, and should not be stored in direct sunlight or near any heat sources or appliances like a hot water heater, furnace, or electronic equipment. They also shouldn't be kept near other flammable or explosive items, and nowhere near food. The best place for them is somewhere that is secure, temperature-controlled, and well-ventilated, like a garage or utility room.

Other popular all-purpose kitchen cleaners, like bleach, floor cleaner, disinfectant spray, dishwashing pods, and dish soap, should be stored off the floor and out of reach of children and pets. If you have a garage, outdoor shed, or temperature-controlled laundry room with a locking cabinet, that is the best option. The items will still be in easy reach for cleaning tasks, but protected from spills and misuse. This way, if a spill does happen, it will be away from you and your family and less likely to pose a health or safety risk. However, you should regularly inspect items to ensure they are in undamaged containers that aren't leaking. 

Conversely, cleaning tools like towels and brushes and natural all-purpose cleaners like baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and distilled water can be safely stored under the sink in plastic, leak-proof containers.