Read the Label First!
PROTECT YOUR
HOUSEHOLD
Many household products such as cleaners and pesticides could harm children, pets, or the environment if not used and
stored correctly. Choose a product that is labeled for your specific pest. EPA encourages consumers to consider using
EPA-registered biopesticides and products with EPA's Safer Choice label, which are generally less harmful.
Simply reading a products label will help keep your family, your pets, and your community safe.
Keep Your Family and Community Safe with these Tips
• Read the Label First
Labels tell you:
• How to use a product safely and effectively.
• How to store the product safely.
• First aid instructions.
• Phone numbers to call for help or more information.
• Follow All Label Precautions
• Warnings and directions tell you how to use products
safely and correctly.
• Follow warnings to open windows, wear gloves, and
not breathe product dust.
• Keep pets and children away from treated areas as
directed on the label.
• Keep Products in Original Containers
• It is very dangerous to put products in food and
beverage containers. Children think that something
in a familiar bottle is safe to drink or play with.
• Containers without tight fitting lids can easily spill.
Know Where to Call for Help
Many labels contain a phone number to call in
an emergency.
Have your local poison control center
number and veterinarian's or local animal
hospital number easily accessible.
Have the product label with you when you
call! The label provides those helping you with
important information about the product.
• If you throw away the original container, you throw
away important information needed in case of an
emergency.
• If the label tells you to mix a product in another
container, use all of the mixture. If you can't use all
the mixture, label the new container for use in the
future.
• Prevent Harm to the Environment
• Apply a product according to the label directions
to prevent harm to the environment
• Do not apply a product where it could run into
ponds, creeks, or other water supplies and
contaminate drinking water and kill wildlife
• Spraying products on a windy day can carry the
product into nearby water.
• Never pour pesticides or other lawn and garden
products down the drain.
• Buy the Right Product for Your Needs
• Read the label to make sure you're buying the right
product for the job. This will save you time, money,
and frustration.
• Buy only what you need. If you buy too much, pass
the product on to someone who can use it, with
the label instructions. Some products might not be
effective if stored for long periods of time. A larger
size is not a good value if you can't use it.
• Use the right amount. Labels indicate the correct
amount to use. Using more can waste the product,
your money and can cause harm to people, pets and
the environment.
www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol
740-F-15-006
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