Family-safety guide · Poison & choking
Poison Prevention: The Ten Risks in Every Home
Most household poisonings are preventable with three changes: locking up the real hazards, knowing what’s toxic, and saving one number. Nothing about it needs to feel scary — just done.
Reviewed & updated · August 2026
Start here
A calm, do-it-together starting point.
Lock medications, not just cleaners
Grandma’s bag, your daily pills, vitamins that look like candy — medications are the most common pediatric poisoning source. Lock them, always.
Move cleaners up and locked
Under-sink cabinets get latches; laundry pods and dishwasher tabs move to high, locked storage.
Know the look-alikes
Small, colorful, sweet — the things that look like candy to a child: laundry pods, vitamins, nicotine, button batteries, hand sanitizer.
Save poison control
1-800-222-1222 in every household phone, on the fridge, and in your emergency plan. Free, confidential, 24/7.
Want a specialist to walk your home with you? The Guardian Nest assessment turns this guide into a personalized Family Protection Plan™.
Download the poison-proofing guideRelated guidance
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