Warm, sunny weather makes for good spring cleaning days. Roll up your sleeves and follow these simple safety tips from your pharmacist.

• Good ventilation is the key to getting harsh fumes from cleaning products out of the house. Simply opening a window is not enough to eliminate dangerous fumes and odors. You may want to use an exhaust fan to eliminate the fumes and to circulate fresh air into the area you are cleaning.
• Test your carbon monoxide & smoke detectors to make sure they are working. The International Association of Fire Chiefs recommends changing your batteries when you change your clocks for DayLight Savings.
• Read the labels on household cleaning products. NO NOT mix products — two products combined can produce toxic results.
• Try to clean when children and pets are NOT present. Keep products locked up and clean up all spills immediately and thoroughly. Common cleaning products than can be poisonous include furniture polish, oven cleaner, and window cleaner.
• Try to use natural cleaners to limit air pollution in your home. Try vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda.
• Make sure to throw away medicines that are not being used. Check expiration dates frequently on all over-the-counter and prescription medications kept in the home. Recent recommendations include combing expired or leftover medicines with used coffee grounds, kitty litter, or something else bad-tasting to children and animals. Place this in a coffee can with the lid, and discard with your household trash.