posted on September 15, 2008 at 07:58AM
I want to mention that standard automotive antifreeze (ethylene glycol) is not terribly toxic. Yes, it can be poisonous but it takes a decent amount to be toxic, far more than many other household chemicals. The bad thing about ethylene glycol is that it has a sweet taste, so an animal or child may continue to eat/drink it and get that large lethal dose. The amount left in residue from cleaning products is going to be WAY too small to be toxic.
There is a less-common automotive antifreeze made from propylene glycol that is even less toxic than ethylene glycol. Propylene glycol is actually marketed as being environmentally safe.
Working on cars over the years, I've occasionally had antifreeze splatter into my mouth and eyes. It has never caused a problem.
Edit: I checked Wikipedia and it refers to ethylene glycol as "highly toxic." Wikipedia goes on to say: "Poison control centers often use more than a lick or taste in a child or more than a mouthful in an adult as a dose requiring hospital assessment." That's not a lethal dose, just one that requires hospital testing and observation. As poisons go, it's not all that toxic if most adults can survive a mouthful of the stuff. That's not the case with Drano, ammonia, bleach or even gasoline. Moral of the story is that you shouldn't drink antifreeze, or leave it where a child or pet has access to it.
--Bob