With Pesach cleaning in full gear, I would like to raise awareness about the extreme danger of certain heavy-duty oven cleaners, such as St. Moritz. Many people mistakenly store and handle these products the same way they would milder household cleaners like Easy-Off, but the two are not comparable.

These industrial-strength cleaners can cause severe chemical burns instantly upon contact. I learned this the hard way when my son suffered serious burns on his knee. After numerous trips to the Burn Center at St. Barnabas in Livingston, he is Baruch Hashem okay, but he will carry a scar for a lifetime. The specialists at the burn unit told us they treat many similar cases every year leading up to Pesach and are shocked by how commonly these hazardous chemicals are used in family homes, and they asked that we publicize this.

Parents, if you must use these products, please treat them with the utmost caution. Store them far out of reach of children, ensure they are securely sealed, and only use them when children are not in the room.

Let’s all take the necessary precautions to ensure a safe, healthy, and happy Chag Kasher V’Somayach.

A Concerned Parent

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