We partnered with Tide® PODS for the following post.
“Mom, where’s my jersey? Pants? Socks? Underwear?” These are phrases that I often hear coming out of the mouths of my children. When you’re a mom, especially a mom to multiple children, laundry tends to become the center of your life. If you think about it, the majority of your day revolves around it. You are looking for it, wearing it, ironing it, gathering it, taking it off, washing it, folding it, or hanging it. Having six children has helped me become somewhat of a laundry expert if you will. I’ve seen it all, smelled it all, and tried it all, and I am strongly opinionated on what I think are the best products out there.
My kids play multiple sports, which means one thing – my laundry room is overflowing with stinky, sweaty, and sometimes muddy clothes and gear from soccer, football, baseball, and dance. That’s why over the last year, I have come to love Tide PODS! It’s sometimes hard to get the funky smell out of the athletic clothes and don’t get me started on the grass and mud stains. Tide PODS have outstanding cleaning power; they pack quite the power in one little pac. When I wash my clothes they come out smelling wonderful, feeling fluffy, and looking fresh! And, as if that isn’t enough, I save a little on my water bill because TIDE Pods use 88% less water than liquid detergent! It’s a win-win in my book.
Another reason I love my Tide PODS is because they easily aid me in fostering independence in my oldest son, by allowing him to do his own laundry. He just pops one in the machine, and I don’t have to worry about him making a mess or measuring an incorrect amount. But, on the flip side, I also have to be mindful of the harm that could come to my younger children since little ones explore the world with their mouth and hands. Laundry safety is extremely important in our household. I mean let’s face it; it has to be when I have so many little helping hands. Always keep your laundry pacs “Up, Up, and Away”- seal pacs up, store pacs up, keep pacs away from your kids.
Twenty Six million households use laundry pacs, and they are continuing to grow in popularity because of the many consumer benefits. But new products often require new use and storage habits. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, the poison centers received more than 33,00 calls from 2012 through May 2015. Like I said earlier, because of younger children’s need for healthy exploration, they are at a greater risk of accidents. As a mom, I know how quickly accidents can happen. I also know that parents do what they can to make their homes as safe as possible for their children. Just like we cover plugs, we should always keep our laundry pacs up, up and away.
There are many ways you can inspire laundry safety. Having six kids means I have six little helpers. While I encourage my oldest son to help me with the laundry I have to be mindful of my younger helpers. So, I keep my TIDE Pods on the top shelf in a cabinet above my washing machine to keep their curious little hands away! For climbers, using a safety latch to lock the cabinet might be a good idea as well. I never leave laundry pacs freely lying around the house; they are always sealed up in the original packaging I bought them in… right up until the point when I put them in the washing machine. I never let my younger children handle the pacs, and I always remind them of how harmful they can be if they were to put them in their mouths. I always follow the instructions of the product label correctly. When we think of household safety for children, our minds go to the kitchen and bathroom. It’s natural to think of medicines and cleaning products as a big concern, but it is just as important to keep laundry pacs away from children and stored properly.
To keep kids safe from preventable injuries, Tide and Gain partnered with Safe Kids Worldwide and the American Academy of Pediatrics. These partnerships marked the launch of the Up, Up and Away campaign, a laundry safety initiative reminding parents and caregivers to seal laundry detergent pacs up, store pacs up, and keep pacs away from children. Together, Tide, Gain, Safe Kids Worldwide, and the AAP have raised awareness and educate families about how to prevent injuries related to children and laundry pacs across the country. To learn more about the importance of laundry safety you can visit the Safe Kids Worldwide and American Academy of Pediatrics websites.
