BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuWindow cleaner poisoningWindow cleaner poisoning occurs when someone swallows or breathes in large amounts of window cleaner. This can happen by accident or on purpose.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 control 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 Older types of window cleaners may contain:Ammonia Ethanol Isopropyl alcohol MethanolNew types of window cleaners are considered safer. Where Found Some brand names of window cleaners are:Glass Gleam Sparkle Glass Cleaner Squeegee Off WindexOther window cleaners are also available. Symptoms Below are symptoms of window cleaner poisoning in different parts of the body. Most of these occur from older window cleaners that contain the poisonous ingredients listed above.EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATLoss of vision Severe pain in the throat Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue HEART AND BLOODCollapse Low blood pressure that develops rapidly Low blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...Read Article Now Book Mark Article LUNGS AND AIRWAYSBreathing difficulty (from breathing in fumes of the cleaner) Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing difficulty) NERVOUS SYSTEMComa (decreased level of consciousness and lack of responsiveness) Dizziness Insomnia Irritability Severe brain damage Sleepiness Stupor (decreased level of consciousness) Walking difficulties SKINIrritation Burns Ulcers in the skin or tissues under the skin STOMACH AND INTESTINESBlood in the stool Blood in the stoolBlack or tarry stools with a foul smell are a sign of a problem in the upper digestive tract. It most often indicates that there is bleeding in the ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Burns in the food pipe (esophagus) Severe abdominal pain Abdominal painAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Vomiting Vomiting bloodVomiting bloodVomiting blood is regurgitating (throwing up) contents of the stomach that contains blood. Vomited blood may appear bright red, dark red, or look lik...Read Article Now Book Mark Article 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 person swallowed the window cleaner, 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 fumes of cleaner, 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 or inhaled Amount swallowed or inhaled Poison Control Your local poison control 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 national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article 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 to the hospital with you, 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 down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs Chest x-ray ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing) Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to look for burns in the esophagus and the stomach Fluids through the vein (by IV) Medicines to treat symptoms Washing of the skin (irrigation), perhaps every few hours for several days Outlook (Prognosis) How well someone does depends on the ingredients of the window cleaner they swallowed, how much they swallowed, and how quickly they receive treatment. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery.Open ReferencesReferencesCalello DP, Nelson LS. Acute poisoning. In: Goldman L, Cooney K, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 96.Nelson ME. Toxic alcohols. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 136.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 11/2/2023 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Window cleaner poisoningWindow cleaner poisoning occurs when someone swallows or breathes in large amounts of window cleaner. This can happen by accident or on purpose.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 control 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 Older types of window cleaners may contain:Ammonia Ethanol Isopropyl alcohol MethanolNew types of window cleaners are considered safer. Where Found Some brand names of window cleaners are:Glass Gleam Sparkle Glass Cleaner Squeegee Off WindexOther window cleaners are also available. Symptoms Below are symptoms of window cleaner poisoning in different parts of the body. Most of these occur from older window cleaners that contain the poisonous ingredients listed above.EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATLoss of vision Severe pain in the throat Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue HEART AND BLOODCollapse Low blood pressure that develops rapidly Low blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...Read Article Now Book Mark Article LUNGS AND AIRWAYSBreathing difficulty (from breathing in fumes of the cleaner) Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing difficulty) NERVOUS SYSTEMComa (decreased level of consciousness and lack of responsiveness) Dizziness Insomnia Irritability Severe brain damage Sleepiness Stupor (decreased level of consciousness) Walking difficulties SKINIrritation Burns Ulcers in the skin or tissues under the skin STOMACH AND INTESTINESBlood in the stool Blood in the stoolBlack or tarry stools with a foul smell are a sign of a problem in the upper digestive tract. It most often indicates that there is bleeding in the ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Burns in the food pipe (esophagus) Severe abdominal pain Abdominal painAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Vomiting Vomiting bloodVomiting bloodVomiting blood is regurgitating (throwing up) contents of the stomach that contains blood. Vomited blood may appear bright red, dark red, or look lik...Read Article Now Book Mark Article 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 person swallowed the window cleaner, 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 fumes of cleaner, 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 or inhaled Amount swallowed or inhaled Poison Control Your local poison control 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 national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article 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 to the hospital with you, 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 down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs Chest x-ray ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing) Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to look for burns in the esophagus and the stomach Fluids through the vein (by IV) Medicines to treat symptoms Washing of the skin (irrigation), perhaps every few hours for several days Outlook (Prognosis) How well someone does depends on the ingredients of the window cleaner they swallowed, how much they swallowed, and how quickly they receive treatment. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery.Open ReferencesReferencesCalello DP, Nelson LS. Acute poisoning. In: Goldman L, Cooney K, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 96.Nelson ME. Toxic alcohols. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 136.