'Do not forget fire safety this spring cleaning season', Spring Cleaning

'Do not forget fire safety this spring cleaning season' - 12/03/2010

Those carrying out their annual spring clean have been urged to make sure they remove all dangerous fire hazards.

It is very easy to focus on cleaning the usual places around the home and neglect other areas that harbour fire hazards, reports Moncton ThisWeek.

As well dealing with the typical areas around the home as part of their spring cleaning spree, householders should also make sure the search their residences thoroughly for empty and unused paint containers that could pose a toxic hazard.

Highly flammable solutions such as solvents, bleach and household cleaners should also be packed away in safe locations. In addition, materials that could act as fuel in the case of a fire should be kept out of sight.

"Moving wood from inside the house out to the garage or a storage area makes good sense to enhance home fire safety," the publication said.

"Two more fire safety 'action items' to remember are replacing the batteries in your home smoke alarms and if your smoke alarm is more than ten years old, replace it."

A recent Ipsos Reid study conducted on behalf of Duracell found that many people still have plenty of room for fire safety improvements as part of their seasonal cleaning regimes.

Professional spring cleaning personnel are on hand to offer expert advice on a range of hygiene and safety issues.