Oven-cleaner pads: new risk for corrosive injury

Over a six-month period, the New Jersey Poison Information System received 61 calls related to exposures to alkaline corrosives. Seven of these calls related to a new oven-cleaner product, oven-cleaner pads. These pads are sealed in a protective plastic wrap and contain lye in excess of 5%. Use of these products requires careful opening of the seal and caution in application. Five of the callers sustained injuries from their exposure, and three of these sustained burns, one in the oral cavity and one in the eye. None suffered permanent sequelae, but the potential for such is considerable. The method of application, concentration of base, and prolonged exposure to a widely covered area may make this product particularly hazardous.