- During National Safety Month, ACI urges families to choose safe storage over “aesthetic” organization trends
- 6 in 10 Americans store – or would store – cleaning products in decorative containers, raising avoidable risks at home
- Even as safety remains a top stated priority, unsafe storage behaviors continue to climb
The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) is urging families during National Safety Month to rethink a growing home-organization habit: transferring detergent products into decorative containers.
Often inspired by social media, “decanting” can increase the risk of misuse, mix-ups, and accidental exposure by separating products from their original packaging and safety information. New survey data show these unsafe storage behaviors have climbed to a three-year high.
Cleaning Product Storage: Intentions vs. Everyday Practices
The survey, conducted by Wakefield Research, shows a widening gap between what Americans say matters and what happens in day-to-day routines. While 43% of Americans rank safety as their top priority, design- and social media–inspired organization trends are changing how cleaning products are stored – and sometimes putting convenience and appearance ahead of safety.
Through its Packets Up initiative, ACI continues to track the rise of “decanting” and other unsafe storage content online.
That visibility is translating into behavior: 60% of Americans say they already do, plan to, or would consider storing cleaning products in decorative containers – up from 48% in 2024. Experts caution that transferring products outside their original packaging can remove critical safety information and increase the likelihood of confusion in the home.
Safely Storing Cleaning Products
“Detergents and cleaning products play an important role in keeping homes clean and families healthier – but using them safely starts with how they’re stored,” said Brian Sansoni, ACI Senior Vice President of Communications and Outreach. “If a product is moved into an unmarked or look-alike container, it’s easier to confuse, misuse, or access unintentionally. The key message is: Store, not Decor.”
ACI offers resources, practical tips, and guidance for safe storage through its Packets Up and Store, not Décor initiatives, including:
- Home Safety Guide: A comprehensive checklist for parents and caregivers to identify and correct common household storage risks.
- Child Activity Sheet: A kid-friendly worksheet that helps teach young children about safe habits and product awareness in the home.
- Safe Storage Image Gallery: Compare your storage spaces with ACI’s vetted bank of safe storage examples.
- Liquid Laundry as Decor Trend: Understand the decanting trend and explore ACI’s body of research.
To learn more about laundry safety and the ACI Packet’s Up initiative, visit PacketsUp.com.
About the Survey
This ACI survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18+, between February 4 and February 12, 2026, using an email invitation and an online survey. Data has been weighted to ensure an accurate representation of U.S. adults ages 18+.
Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.
About The American Cleaning Institute
The American Cleaning Institute® (ACI – www.cleaninginstitute.org) is the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry® and represents the $60 billion U.S. cleaning product supply chain. ACI members include the manufacturers and formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and chemical distributors. ACI serves the growth and innovation of the U.S. cleaning products industry by advancing the health and quality of life of people and protecting our planet. ACI achieves this through a continuous commitment to sound science and being a credible voice for the cleaning products industry.