The Pantry Storage Mistake That Puts Food At Risk

Just when you've learned the difference between a pantry and a larder, you have to properly organize the darn thing. And this is not limited to spice storage hacks or viral space optimization techniques. One pantry storage consideration is so critical that ignoring it could potentially make you sick: keeping cleaning agents and other caustic chemicals alongside foodstuffs.

There are far more ways that pairing Pine-Sol with potatoes can go wrong than there are things that can go right. Even if your pantry is stocked with items more of the boxed, bagged, and otherwise vacuum-packed variety, they won't stay sealed forever. Errant drips, drops, and even the occasional spill should remain far away from anything you intend to ingest. Keeping these disparate goods together could also prove dangerously confusing for kids. Even something seemingly innocuous like cleaning vinegar (which is stronger than the regular white stuff) should be separated from your more everyday, edible acids, lest your salad dressing turn out tasting like the stovetop.

In a perfect world, everyone would have a dedicated closet for each of their home's needs — one for all those weird cords and cables that seem to multiply on their own and then disappear right when you need them the most, one for all of your indoor herb garden tools, and, of course, one for all of the toxic or "natural" but just plain undelicious powders, sprays, detergents and degreasers that keep your home clean. In the real world, that latter bunch is often corralled to the cabinets under the kitchen sink: a classic locale for a reason.

The cabinets under the sink are obviously low to the ground, so any falls will have less impact and probably less splatter. They're still within reach in what is most likely your house's biggest mess magnet. You can add a childproof lock to keep any curious hands at bay. And with the ever-looming potential for leaky pipes and other unwelcome events, you probably aren't already housing anything too precious down there. If that area is already allocated to something like your trash and recycling, however, the same ideal cleaning supply coordinates apply: close to the floor, handy, and away from any materials that they might damage. And, most importantly, far away from your food.