Reckitt & Colman Recalls EASY-OFF Heavy Duty Oven Cleaner Due to Chemical Burn Risk

Plain-English summary

Reckitt & Colman Inc. is recalling approximately 50,000 16-oz. aerosol cans of EASY-OFF Heavy Duty Oven Cleaner. The recall is due to a defect in the valve assembly, which can separate from the can and cause the oven cleaner contents to spew out. Direct contact with the contents poses a risk of chemical burns to consumers' skin and eyes.

The affected cans are yellow with a solid yellow plastic cap. The label features "EASY-OFF" in bold black letters, "HEAVY DUTY" in white letters inside a red block, and "Original" in white letters over a blue background. Only cans with lot number B9305-NJ2 printed on the bottom are part of the recall. These products were sold in supermarkets, mass merchandisers, hardware, drug, and other stores nationwide from November 1999 through January 2000 for approximately $3 to $4.

Reckitt & Colman has received 18 reports of the cans spewing oven cleaner, resulting in 12 reports of chemical burns to consumers' skin and eyes. Consumers should not remove the cap of the recalled oven cleaner. Instead, they should wrap the can in several layers of newspaper, take it outside, and dispose of it with regular household trash. The company will provide a replacement coupon.

The recalled product

Product

EASY-OFF Heavy Duty Oven Cleaner

Manufacturer

Reckitt & Colman Inc., of Wayne, N.J.

Category

Consumer Product — Cleaning Products

Hazard

• chemical-burn
• product-defect

Affected units

50,000

Distribution

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