If someone has been poisoned, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 immediately. This free hotline connects you to a poison expert 24 hours a day, anywhere in the United States. If the person is unconscious, having a seizure, or not breathing, skip Poison Control and call 911 instead.
What to Do Right Away
The first few minutes matter most. Before you call for help, make the exposure stop. If the person swallowed something, remove anything remaining in their mouth. If they inhaled fumes, move them to fresh air. If a chemical splashed on their skin or in their eyes, start rinsing with water immediately.
Then grab the container or product label if one exists. When you call Poison Control, the expert will ask you for specific details:
- The product involved and its ingredients (read from the label)
- The person’s age and weight
- How the poison got in (swallowed, inhaled, skin contact, or eye contact)
- How long ago it happened
- Any first aid you’ve already given
- Whether the person has vomited
- Your location and how far you are from a hospital
Having this information ready helps the poison expert give you the right instructions fast. If the suspected poison is a household cleaner, also check the label for its own accidental poisoning instructions.
Call 911 for These Warning Signs
Poison Control handles most cases over the phone and can often guide you through treatment at home. But some situations are true emergencies that need paramedics. Call 911 if the person has a seizure, loses consciousness, or stops breathing. These signs mean the body is shutting down critical functions, and the person needs emergency medical care that can’t wait for a phone consultation.
Do Not Induce Vomiting
One of the most important things to know is what not to do. Do not try to make the person throw up. Syrup of ipecac, once a medicine cabinet staple, is no longer recommended by the American Association of Poison Control Centers or the American Academy of Pediatrics. There is no good evidence that it works, and it often causes more harm than good. Caustic chemicals like drain cleaner or bleach can burn the throat a second time on the way back up, making the injury far worse.
If you still have old bottles of ipecac at home, throw them away. Similarly, do not give activated charcoal at home. While hospitals do use activated charcoal to stop certain poisons from being absorbed in the stomach, medical professionals at the University of Utah Health are clear that it should only be given in a healthcare facility, not at home.
If Poison Contacts Skin or Eyes
For skin exposure, remove any contaminated clothing and rinse the affected area with running water for 15 to 20 minutes. Avoid scrubbing, which can push chemicals deeper into the skin or cause further irritation.
Eye exposure is especially urgent. Chemical burns to the eye require immediate, high-volume flushing with clean water or saline. Hold the eyelid open and rinse continuously for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Tilt the head so the water runs away from the unaffected eye to avoid contaminating it. Then call Poison Control or head to an emergency room. Speed matters here because the longer a chemical sits on eye tissue, the greater the risk of permanent vision damage.
If Someone Inhaled Toxic Fumes
Get the person into fresh air as quickly as possible, but protect yourself first. If you walk into a room filled with fumes and feel dizzy or nauseated, leave immediately. Rescuers who rush into enclosed spaces with toxic gas frequently become victims themselves. Open doors and windows from outside the space if you can, and call 911 if the area isn’t safe to enter. Once the person is in fresh air, call Poison Control. If they’re not breathing, call 911 and begin CPR if you’re trained.
Common Household Poisons
Most accidental poisonings don’t involve exotic substances. They involve everyday products already in your home. Cleaning products are one of the biggest categories, particularly corrosive cleaners (like oven and drain cleaners), liquid detergents, and bleach. Organic solvents like gasoline, paint thinner, and turpentine account for a significant share as well. Cosmetics and personal care products, including shampoo, hydrogen peroxide, and nail polish remover, are common culprits especially with young children who drink them by mistake.
Other frequently reported exposures include thermometer mercury, silica gel packets, antifreeze, and mothballs. Medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, are the single most common cause of poisoning calls overall. A child who finds a grandparent’s pill bottle can be in serious danger within minutes.
If Your Pet Is Poisoned
Pets get into things they shouldn’t, and the rules are slightly different for animals. Your two main emergency resources are the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 and the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661. Both operate 24/7, though they may charge a consultation fee.
When you call, be ready to tell them the product’s brand name and ingredient list, how much your pet ate, when they ate it, and your pet’s approximate weight. This information helps the expert determine whether the situation is critical or manageable at home.
Just like with humans, do not try to make your pet vomit unless a veterinarian or poison control expert specifically tells you to. Inducing vomiting in animals is sometimes dangerous depending on the substance, and the wrong call can make things worse. Some toxins require immediate veterinary care regardless, so getting professional guidance first is essential.