Check your cleaning cupboard: storage checklist
Keep cleaning products closed in original packaging and out of children’s reach. Use official advice for unreadable labels, leaks and disposal.
Always keep cleaning products in their original bottles. The label lists ingredients, hazard warnings, directions and first-aid information, which you need quickly in an emergency. Never decant cleaners into drinks bottles, jars or unlabelled spray bottles, because this can easily lead to mix-ups.
If the label is missing or unreadable, stop using the product and do not identify it by colour or smell. Keep it inaccessible and ask a retailer or collection point about disposal. Close intact bottles completely after use.
| Situation | Appropriate action |
|---|---|
| Packaging and label | Original container, readable product name and warnings, lid fully closed. |
| Access | Out of reach of children and pets, preferably locked; secure heavy containers too. |
| Separation | Keep away from food; store incompatible products separately as labelled. |
| Leftovers or unknown products | Do not combine them; ask the collection point or retailer how to hand them in. |
Further reading
The right location
Ideally use a dry, cool and well-ventilated cupboard away from food, radiators and direct sunlight. Heat can deform packaging and change some products. Under the sink it is often damp and cramped; if you use this space, check it regularly for drips or softened boxes.
Keep products separate from food and dishes. Secure heavy containers against tipping and access; a low open cupboard is not child-safe. Follow the label’s storage conditions too.
- Dry, cool and ventilated
- Well away from food
- Heavy items at the bottom
- Check the under-sink cupboard regularly
Protecting children and pets
Colourful bottles and pods are tempting for small children. Store all cleaning products, laundry pods and dishwasher tablets up high or in a lockable cupboard. Child locks for cupboard doors are inexpensive. Pets should not have access either.
While cleaning, do not leave open bottles or buckets of cleaning water unattended. Put products away immediately after use. Note the number of Tox Info Suisse, 145, somewhere visible for emergencies.
Keep products separate and clear
Some cleaners must never come together because dangerous fumes can form, for example chlorine-based products with acidic descalers. Keep such product groups in separate baskets or shelves and never use them at the same time or shortly after each other in the same place.
Limit yourself to a few products you really use. A mild all-purpose cleaner, a bathroom cleaner, washing-up liquid and a glass cleaner are enough for most apartments. Fewer bottles mean less risk of confusion.
- Store chlorine and acids separately
- Never mix products
- Baskets by area of use
- Keep only what you need
If something leaks
For a leak, keep children and pets away and read the product’s safety instructions first. Paper, water and neutralising agents are not a universal solution for all chemicals. Keep away and seek expert advice for unknown products, strong fumes or larger spills.
Do not mix or neutralise spills with other products. For suspected poisoning, call Tox Info Suisse on 145 and have the product name and label available if safe. Call 144 for severe symptoms such as breathing difficulty or unconsciousness.
Further reading
Disposal and regular tidying
Check regularly for unwanted products and damaged packaging. Chemical leftovers do not belong down drains or in household rubbish. Zurich’s ERZ lists retailers, the hazardous-waste collection point and mobile collection as options. Check current acceptance and dates there; outside the city, follow your municipality’s guidance.
If you book regular apartment cleaning with PUTZIO in the supported municipalities around Zurich and Rapperswil-Jona for CHF 40 per hour, you do not need to provide cleaning products: the cleaners bring their own. That keeps your own cupboard tidier.