The Dangerous Laundry Pod Challenge That is Gaining Popularity and What Parents Need to Know

If parents thought the "salt and ice challenge" was ridiculous and dangerous, wait until you hear about the latest internet trend teens are trying and sharing on social media.

The "Tide pod challenge" has teens biting into and eating detergent pods while filming themselves all for a few moments of internet glory. However, doctors are warning that this internet challenge could land these kids in the hospital or worse.

Since laundry pods have ingredients like ethanol, hydrogen peroxide and polymers - which is highly-toxic mix of detergent that helps break down dirt and grime in your clothes, keeping these pods out of the hands of toddlers has been the priority. In 2017, poison control centers received reports of more than 10,500 exposures to highly concentrated laundry detergent pods by children five years old and younger, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

So while Tide has added warning labels to their products child-proof closures on some containers, and launched a campaign telling parents to keep the pods up and away, they are now at the center of a new controversy where teens are seeking out clicks and views all for eating something toxic.

The videos, which are hard to watch and have left parents shocked and horrified, shows teens choking, coughing, and vomiting within seconds of biting into the pods. At this point, no one has died from the pod challenge, but officials warn that Tide pods have proved to be deadly in the past when consumed.

"Our laundry pacs are a highly concentrated detergent meant to clean clothes ... They should not be played with, whatever the circumstance is, even if meant as a joke," Tide said in a statement.

If you have a teen at home, officials want you to share the dangers of consuming laundry pods with them, and we think if they are that so interested in laundry soap, go ahead and put them to work by actually doing laundry for everyone in your home!