36
CPSC NEISS Data 2005–2024

Laundry Soaps Or Detergents

Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.

Home Workshop Tools & Equipment · CPSC Code 949

Down 23% over 5 years

The verdict

Laundry Soaps Or Detergents carry a danger score of 36/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 17,950 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 23% over the last five years.

36/100
danger score (low risk)
17,950
ER visits per year (avg)
1.8%
end in hospital admission
0-4
most-injured age group

Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 949 - last data year 2024.

PlainSafety danger score

0/100100/10036/100
PlainSafety danger score

Source: CPSC NEISS danger-score model As of 2024

How this 36/100 score is built

The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for laundry soaps or detergents - no opinion, no editorializing:

  • Injury volume17,950 ER visits/yr
  • Severity (hospitalization rate)1.8%
  • Fatality rate0.00%
  • 5-year trend-23%

See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.

What the CPSC Data Shows

Laundry Soaps Or Detergents (CPSC product code 949, in the Home Workshop Tools & Equipment category) generate an estimated 17,950 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 359,005 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 36/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are declining by about 23% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2017 (28,797 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2006 (7,357 estimated visits).

The single most common ER diagnosis for laundry soaps or detergents is derma/conjunct to the all parts body, accounting for approximately 74,459 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by poisoning to the all parts body (56,887 cases). The 0-4 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 120,011 cases over the NEISS window, and males appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 1.8% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.

Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 118 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how laundry soaps or detergents fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.

17,950
Injuries / Year
1.8%
Hospitalization Rate
0.00%
Fatality Rate

Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)

5K10K15K20K25K30K 20052008201120142017202020232024 22K
Estimated annual emergency-room visits for Laundry Soaps Or Detergents, CPSC NEISS

Source: CPSC NEISS national injury estimates As of 2024

Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only

Who Gets Injured?

Age Group Male Female Total
0-4 63,084 56,927 120,011
5-14 23,765 20,572 44,337
15-24 17,926 30,191 48,117
25-34 16,125 28,252 44,377
35-44 13,289 19,165 32,454
45-54 10,834 18,242 29,076
55-64 7,464 13,192 20,684
65-74 4,477 7,210 11,687
75+ 2,571 5,700 8,271

Most Common Injuries

Body Part Diagnosis Est. Injuries
All Parts Body Derma/conjunct 74,459
All Parts Body Poisoning 56,887
Upper Trunk Derma/conjunct 54,349
Not Stated/unk Derma/conjunct 23,511
Lower Arm Derma/conjunct 17,979
Lower Trunk Derma/conjunct 17,336
Face Derma/conjunct 15,858
Eyeball Derma/conjunct 14,551
Eyeball Burn, Chemical 11,790
Eyeball Other 8,570
Lower Leg Derma/conjunct 6,908
Neck Derma/conjunct 5,812
Upper Leg Derma/conjunct 4,919
Eyeball Contusions, Abr. 4,073
All Parts Body Other 3,457

Severity Breakdown

Treated/examined And Released 96.1% (344,982)
Left Without Being Seen 1.5% (5,411)
Treated And Admitted/hospitalized 1.4% (4,920)
Treated And Transferred 0.6% (2,168)
Held For Observation 0.4% (1,536)

ER Visit Narratives

Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.

Age 3 · Male · Eyeball · Contusions, Abr. · 2024

3 YOM PRESENTS WITH FB IN THE EYE. CHILD SQUIRTED A *** POD IN HIS R EYE AT HOME. MOM IMMEDIATELY FLUSHED EYES WITH TAP WATER. CHILD STILL STATES THAT HIS EYE HURTS. DX: INJURY OF THE CONJUNCTIVA AND CORNEAL ABRASION OF R EYE W/O FB.

Age 64 · Female · Eyeball · Other · 2024

64YOF PRESENT WITH ITCHING AND ERYTHEMA TO EYES AND FOREHEAD AFTER CHANGING TO A NEW BRAND OF LAUNDRY DETERGENT DX: MINOR ALLERGIC REACTION

Age 38 · Female · Lower Leg · Derma/conjunct · 2024

38YOF WALKED IN TO ED WITH CHIEF COMPLAINT OF URTICARIA TO LEGS, BACK, AND FACE X3 WEEKS AFTER USING *** LAUNDRY DETERGENT. PATIENT REPORTS FACIAL SWELLING. DX:ALLERGIC REACTION.

Age 63 · Male · All Parts Body · Derma/conjunct · 2024

63YOM PATIENT RECENTLY CHANGED LAUNDRY DETERGENT, DEVELOPED RASH WITH PETECHIAE DX: ALLERGIC DERMATITIS DUE TO OTHER CHEMICAL PRODUCT, PETECHIAL RASH

Age 8 · Female · All Parts Body · Derma/conjunct · 2024

8YOF MOM SWITCHED BRANDS OF LAUNDRY DETERGENT AND DEVELOPED RASH ALL OVER BODY DX:CONTACT DERMATITIS DUE TO DETERGENTS

Age 11 · Female · All Parts Body · Derma/conjunct · 2024

11YOF TO ER PMHX FOR BRAIN TUMOR, CP & TOURETTE SYNDROME, PT ER ER W/ FULL BODY RASH, MOM SAYS MAY HAVE CHANGED LAUNDRY DETERGENTS, RASHPRURITIC IN NATURE, TEMPORARILY RELIEVED W/ ***, THEN RETURNS, PT HAS HAD FOR 3 DAYS DX RASH

Age 2 · Male · All Parts Body · Poisoning · 2024

2YOM PATIENT CURRENTLY LIVES IN A REFUGEE CENTER, HE WAS SITTING NEXT TO A BAG OF DAILY RATIONS THAT INCLUDED A *** POD AND HE INGESTED IT. MOM GAVE HIM JUICE RIGHT AFTERWARD AND HE HAD A LARGE EPISODE OF EMESIS. DX: INGESTION OF TOXIN

Age 59 · Male · All Parts Body · Derma/conjunct · 2024

59YOM C/O ALL BODY RASH S/P PT STATES HIS SYMPTOMS BEGAN AFER USING SOMEBODY ELSE'S LAUNDRY DETERGENT AT THE LAUNDROMAT. WHICH WAS USED ON THIS CLOTHING AND BED SHEETS TO LAUNDER WITH. DX: RASH

Age 23 · Female · Upper Trunk · Derma/conjunct · 2024

23YOF BROKE OUT IN RASH AFTER USING NEW LAUNDRY DETERGENT. DX RASH TO UPPER TRUNK

Age 50 · Male · All Parts Body · Derma/conjunct · 2024

50YOM BROKE OUT IN RASH FROM USING A NEW SCENT BOOSTER IN HIS LAUNDRY DETERGENT. DX: DERMATITIS TO LEGS, ARMS, BACK AND FACE.

Age 2 · Male · All Parts Body · Poisoning · 2024

2YOM BIT INTO A *** POD NOW MOUTH IS BURNING DX: INGESTION OF FOREIGN MATERIAL

Age 213 · Female · Upper Trunk · Derma/conjunct · 2024

13MOF CHANGED BRANDS OF LAUNDRY DETERGENT AND DEVELOPED A RASH TO CHEST DX: URTICARIA

Consumer Incident Reports

Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.

9/4/2013 · Injury, Seen by Medical Professional · The Procter & Gamble Company · United States

I purchased Tide Pods at Target after wearing the clothes I washed with the product I developed a severe rash on my thighs and under my breasts the itching was unbearable and was starting to blister after contacting my doctor I had an appt. on Friday the 30 then spent the entire afternoon being treated for a severe allergic reaction the only thing I had been using was the Tide Pods I was given a prescription for a cream that I have to apply twice a day for 10 days. I have not been able to any activities for over 2 weeks and the pain and itching are still very painful even with the cream.

9/28/2015 · Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received · SUN PRODUCTS CORPORATION · Washington

On Tues Sept 22, my son complained of some itching and broke out in a few hives. By Wednesday morning they were all over his back and chest. Wed. I took him to the doctor and was sent home with a [REDACTED] plan. Wednesday afternoon the hives cleared up. Then Thursday night they cam back with a venegence. They were all over his back, chest, stomach, and we're moving down his arms and legs. We talked to a 24 hour nurse and ended up in the ER. He received a steroid IV. They also sent him home with an epi pen because this reaction was so severe they expected the next time to be much worse. We have been racking our brains trying to figure out what caused the reaction. Then tonight I noticed that the laundry detergent we use All Free Clear had added Plus+. I went on line to check out the difference in ingredients of the All Free Clear ( that we have used for 17 years) and this new All Free Clear Plus+. I didn't find a list of ingredients but I did find review after review of incidents that have occurred just like ours. People use this product because they have allergies and it is causing severe allergic reactions. Check it out at www.sunproductscorp.com.

9/23/2018 · Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received · Costco Wholesale · Pennsylvania

I washed my clothes and bedding with Kirkland Signature Environmentally Responsible Liquid Laundry Detergent (https://www.costco.com/Kirkland-Signature-Environmentally-Responsible-Liquid-Laundry-Detergent-194-fl.-oz%2c-126-Loads.product.100379274.html). This started an allergic reaction resulting in anaphylaxis on the second day. I was rushed to the emergency room where I was given high doses of Prednisone and [REDACTED] to stop the reaction. While the Costco website does not allow reviews, you can see where the product is listed on [REDACTED] there are over 30 reviews where people have reported severe allergic reactions to this product.

9/20/2016 · Injury, First Aid Received by Non-Medical Professional · The Procter & Gamble Company · California

I have an itchy skin rash after using Tide with Febreze. Left a strong smell on clothes. Had respiratory symptoms while clothes were drying inside.

9/16/2021 · Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received · The Procter & Gamble Company · Massachusetts

Caller stated that he used crystals to wash his laundry after he wore his clothing he broke out in hives. He had to visit the Veteran's Administration hospital in MA. He stated that while reporting the incident he is currently waiting in the ER for treatment. He stated that he contacted the company and they advised him that they would send him a rebate of $7. However, he informed them that he is not interested in the money but he is concerned about the safety of the product. Caller feels that this detergent crystal is a health hazard and should be taken off the market.

9/16/2019 · Injury, Emergency Department Treatment Received · Cot'n Wash, Inc. · Maryland

On the evening of August 14, 2019 I did a small load of laundry. I reached into the Dropps.com container to get out a pod and 4 were stuck together. I pulled them apart into 2 sections and then took one of the pairs and pulled them apart. As I pulled, I must have squeezed and one exploded and the detergent shot into my right eye. The pain was searing and I immediately tried to flush my eye. The detergent was thick and just got soapy as I flushed. I had my husband drive me to Urgent Care where they repeatedly flushed the eye over the course of an hour. Eventually they sent me home recommending that I see an ophthalmologist in the morning or go to the ER if it was not better. In the morning the eye was too painful to open, swollen, inflamed, and I had no vision, I called the doctor recommended by Urgent Care but there were no appointments available. My husband took me to the Emergency Room at [REDACTED] Medical Center (a Shock Trauma center). I was seen by an ENT. Again he flushed my eye using a drain and running a liter of fluid through it. He sent me home with prescriptions for antibiotics and a recommendation to see an ophthalmologist. On August 16, I called the Envision Eye Center ([REDACTED]) to schedule an appointment. I explained what had happened and they had me come in immediately. [REDACTED] diagnosed me with a chemical burn to my eye which burned all the skin over my cornea and the white of my eye. Treatment continues because, as I healed, I developed a herpes simplex rash in my eye due to the stress and compromise. It is now over a month and I am still being treated and still do not have my full vision back. This has been very debilitating. I have lost money losing time at work, was unable to fly to a family reunion and lost my and my husband's air fares, have paid medical and pharmacy bills, and have been terrified and in pain. I DO NOT want to see this happen to anyone else. These pods stick together all the time. Clearly they are fragile. I am not a chi

9/16/2013 · Injury, Hospital Admission · The Procter & Gamble Company · Massachusetts

This is a 13 mo old girl who bit into a Tide pod, and presented to the hospital with vomiting and oral burns. An endoscopy showed a Grade I caustic injury to her esophagus.

9/12/2012 · Injury, Level of care not known · SUN PRODUCTS CORPORATION · Kansas

Three year old daughter mistook single use pacs of ALL free and clear laundry soap as candy and became violently sick as well as my small dog. I believe that had they been packaged in a container rather that in a [REDACTED] type resealable bag it might have stopped her from eatting it. Also, I think the warning label should include the poison control number, and that the pacs themselves might be changed color wise to help turn people away from eatting them.

Showing 8 of 118 reports.

Product Recalls

Search for active and past recalls related to laundry soaps or detergents on the CPSC website.

Frequently Asked Questions

How dangerous are laundry soaps or detergents?

Based on 20 years of CPSC data, laundry soaps or detergents have a danger score of 36/100 (low risk). An estimated 17,950 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.

What are the most common injuries from laundry soaps or detergents?

The most common injury is derma/conjunct to the all parts body, accounting for approximately 74,459 injuries over 20 years.

Are injuries from laundry soaps or detergents increasing or decreasing?

Down 23% over 5 years.

Who is most at risk for laundry soaps or detergents injuries?

The 0-4 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 120,011 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.

What happens when someone is injured by laundry soaps or detergents?

Of all ER visits involving laundry soaps or detergents, approximately 1.8% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (98.2%) are treated and released from the emergency department.

How can I report a safety problem with laundry soaps or detergents?

You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.

Safety Guides

What this means for you

Treat the 36/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.

  • See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
  • Injuries cluster in the 0-4 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
  • Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls

NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.

Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.