By: Destini Merrill
Ya know, not too long ago, a professor told me a funny but oh so very true joke one day about this topic. "This generation is the one and only generation that I have seen that will willingly wash their mouths out with soap!"
So those little Tide Pod thingies that have those brightly colored detergents packed in a small convenient plastic wrapping are meant for washing clothes right? NOPE!!! Apparently, they were made for afternoon snacking; a small side snack to compliment a ham sandwich or a PB&J. This is what I assume is what's going through the minds of every other teen and adult that has popped on of these little sacks of soap in their mouths.
The Tide Pod challenge is yet another viral, trendy, and quite frankly, stupid challenge like the cayenne pepper or cinnamon challenge that has swept our nation and has many individuals thinking that it's a capital idea to put Tide Pods into their mouths, bite down, and blissfully watch the goo ooze out or swallow it. There is no certainty of where the challenge came from or who came up with it. And I'm sure whoever is responsible for starting this challenge wouldn't want to be outted or come out as the innivator due to all the people taking trips to the emergency room after taking this challenge. OH YEAH!! The reason why this challenge is so stupid (seeing that it's no longer obvious) is that it is DANGEROUS! According to the American Association of Poison Control Center, in 2018, 86 cases of laundry pod consumptions were reported. Each person that has been sent to the hospital has either aspirated on the liquid due to inhaling it into their lungs,
had become violently ill from ingesting it, has had a negative change in blood pressure and heart rate, lost consciousness, or have had seizures. Other cases have also reported severe chemical burns in the mouth and throat due to the corrosive ingredients common in detergents.
Oddly enough despite all these reports and the fact that NO ONE SHOULD BE PUTTING DETERGENT PODS IN THEIR MOUTHS, people are still going ahead with this challenge. This has become so apparent that many grocery stores like Walmart and Walgreens have locked up the cleaning pods in security plastic blocks or behind locked glass doors. The fact that this challenge has gone so far that retailers have to go to these extremes for the safety of customers when they didn't even have to before, is mind boggling. There is already a warning on detergent pod packagings for children to not consume them. But now, that there are people who are plenty old enough to know better than to eat the pods are actually eating them, it's become imparative that the laundry detergent has to be locked down. Little kids and babies may want to eat the pods because they're small, shiny, and brightly colored, resembling some kind of gushy candy but older people (as I've said before) know better. Anyone who does this challenge not only risk horrible long term injuries, they're risking death.
Tip of the week: If one day you find yourself a victim of boredom and stupidity and think about doing this challenge, JUST DON'T!! But, if you witness someone doing it because they didn't read this article or several others that warn against this challenge, dial The American Association of Poison Control at 800-222-1222.
I love your articles but this one has to be one of my favorites. Keep up the good work!
Hello Destini,
This is Julian. Another great job with your blogs. I like how you are using your blogs to keep people safe. Keep up the great work.
Thanks Julian!!
I just can’t believe people are doing this.. well I guess I can, some people will do anything if they put the word “Challenge” in front of it. I guess its like way back when, when someone said ” I double dog dare you”. It’s the same as someone drinking a cup of liquid laundry detergent, I don’t think they would do that so why this? I hope people continue to spread awareness of the dangers of this challenge and make it a thing of the past.
Well i hope that this does help spread at least a little bit more awareness. Thanks for reading and your comment.
This trend is an excellent example of how technology and social media can take something and spread it like a wildfire. Because of social media so many people saw and decided to participate in this life threatening challenge. While I initially thought it was a joke and that people weren’t actually doing this, I was quickly proven wrong. The fact that this trend had such an impact on not only the stores selling the pods but the manufacturer themselves shows just how interesting Generation Z is going to be.
Maybe generation z just want to leave their mark and be as memorable as us millennials and gen x. Too bad they’re kicking off that mark with a mouthful of bleach and soap.
Great Article. Eating Tide Pods Is weird to me. Why would somebody want to eat something that tastes like soap? On top of that what a PR disaster for the Proctor & Gamble. If i were them I’d consider releasing tide pods in different flavors to at least lessen the damage of this PR mess.
This is so crazy to me and I can’t believe people are poisoning themselves for a challenge. I have to say our generation loves making dumb and dangerous things a challenge. I’m very curious to know who started this and why people decided to follow this stupidity. It’s crazy that stores have to lock up soap because you can’t trust grown adults to not eat them.
Wow. First things first, I have never heard of this challenge and is in total disbelief that this is a real thing. I thought everyone grew up knowing not to swallow bleach or any other form or cleaning products. I am totally confused as to why someone would want to attempt this challenge in the first place. Its good to know that some retailers are locking up the pods to reduce fatalities. A public service announcement should be created to bring awareness to this topic and possible stop any future challenges.
Hey,
This is a great article sharing the details, risks, and dangers of this new found trend in the recent years. I think you’re doing a great job about spreading awareness of the fact that it’s merely a fad that the younger generation are into to make themselves seen, but if they keep doing this, they won’t be able to be heard after their time. Keep it up.
This is really educational, we should really be careful and mindful of what goes into our mouth. Thanks!
This is unbelievable! How would such a challenge even come about in the first place. It’s life threatening to inhale something that corrosive, what more of having it in your mouth, on your tongue. This “Challenge” thing is getting out of hand. It’s similar to an asthma or pneumonic patient doing an ice bucket bath challenge.
Its absolutely ridiculous! Now a days individuals do things for the likes and views not realizing after their dead nobody will be watching after a week.