Toilet bowl cleaners and deodorizers poisoning
Toilet bowl cleaners and deodorizers are substances used to clean and remove odors from toilets. Poisoning may occur if someone swallows toilet bowl cleaner or deodorizer.
This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.
Poisonous Ingredient
The substances in these products that can be harmful are:
- Detergents
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Phenol
Where Found
There are many types of toilet cleaners and deodorizers available.
Symptoms
Below are symptoms of this type of poisoning in different parts of the body.
BLOOD
- Severe change in blood acid level (can lead to organ damage)
EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROAT
- Loss of vision
- Severe pain in the throat
- Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
STOMACH AND INTESTINES
- Blood in the stool
- Burns in the food pipe (esophagus)
- Severe abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Vomiting blood
HEART AND BLOOD VESSELS
- Collapse
- Low blood pressure that develops rapidly
LUNGS AND AIRWAYS
- Breathing difficulty (from breathing in the product)
- Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing difficulty)
SKIN
- Burns
- Holes in the skin or tissues under the skin
- Irritation
NERVOUS SYSTEM
- Coma (decreased level of consciousness and lack of consciousness)
- Headache
- Seizures
Home Care
Seek medical help right away. DO NOT make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. If the product is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.
If the person swallowed the product, give them water or milk right away, unless a provider tells you not to. DO NOT give anything to drink if the person has symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These include vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness. If the person breathed in the product, move them to fresh air right away.
Before Calling Emergency
Have this information ready:
- Person’s age, weight, and condition
- Name of the product (ingredients, if known)
- Time it was swallowed
- Amount swallowed
Poison Control
Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.
This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What to Expect at the Emergency Room
Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.
The provider will measure and monitor the person’s vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated.
The person may receive:
- Blood and urine tests
- Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs, and a breathing machine (ventilator).
- Bronchoscopy. Camera placed down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs.
- Chest x-ray
- EKG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing)
- Endoscopy. Camera placed down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach.
- Fluids through a vein (by IV)
- Medicines to treat symptoms
- Surgery to remove burned skin
- Washing of the skin (irrigation). Perhaps every few hours for several days.
Outlook (Prognosis)
How well someone does depends on how much of the product they swallowed and how quickly they receive treatment. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery. Toilet bowl cleaners and deodorizers can cause extensive damage in the:
- Mouth
- Stomach
- Throat
The outcome will depend on the extent of this damage.
Delayed injury may occur, including a hole forming in the throat, esophagus, or stomach. This can lead to severe bleeding and infection.
If the product gets in the eye, sores may develop in the cornea, the clear part of the eye. This can cause blindness.
References
Wax PM, Yarema M. Corrosives. In: Shannon MW, Borron SW, Burns MJ, eds. Haddad and Winchester’s Clinical Management of Poisoning and Drug Overdose. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2007:chap 98.
Wax PM, Young A. Caustics. In: Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, et al, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:chap 153.
Zosel AE. General approach to the poisoned patient. In: Adams JG, ed. Emergency Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2013:chap 143.
Review Date 10/19/2015
Updated by: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
