No. Bleach, solvents, aerosol sprays (whatever the label says), polish and other chemicals can't be stored, opened or sealed, and there's no exception to ask about. Everyday products such as washing-up liquid and laundry pods get the same default answer, no; if you think one is an exception, speak with us before you move it in. Your cleaning equipment is fine: vacuums, mops, buckets and carpet machines can be stored once they're emptied, clean and dry.
The rule comes from our terms. Clause 18(c) bars "combustible or flammable substances including but not limited to gas, paint, petrol, oil, cleaning solvents or compressed gases", and clause 18(e) bars "chemicals, radioactive materials, biological agents, toxic waste, asbestos or other potentially hazardous substances". Bleach, sprays, detergents, descalers and polish are treated as falling under one or both; the terms name no exception for household products, so the answer to asking will usually be no. Our prohibited-items guide lists solvents and "aerosols under pressure" among goods that are "All banned, no discussion required." Moving house? Pack the under-sink cupboard separately; see Moving house. Below: notes for cleaning businesses, landlords, movers and existing customers.
Cleaning products, supplies and equipment, item by item
| Item | Can it go in the unit? |
|---|---|
| Bleach, disinfectant, trigger-spray and multi-surface cleaners, toilet cleaner, limescale and oven cleaner, drain unblocker | No: clause 18(e) bars chemicals |
| Pool and hot-tub chemicals (chlorine tablets, pH adjusters, spa shock) | No: clause 18(e) |
| Water test kits | The reagents, no (clause 18(e)); the empty case and meters, yes |
| Spray cleaners, polish and air freshener in aerosol cans | No, whatever the label says: clause 18(c) names compressed gases |
| Solvent cleaners, methylated spirits, white spirit, stain and adhesive removers | No: clause 18(c) names cleaning solvents |
| Washing-up liquid, laundry liquid and powder, dishwasher tablets, laundry pods, eco and plant-based refills and concentrates, opened or unopened | No, as a rule. If you think a product falls outside the rule, speak with us before you move it in, and expect the answer to be no |
| Carpet shampoo and upholstery cleaning solutions | No: clause 18(e) bars chemicals |
| Air freshener refills and strong-smelling cleaners | No: clause 18(e), and clause 18(f) bars "any item that emits fumes, or odours" |
| Vacuum cleaners, mops, buckets, brushes, dustpans | Yes, emptied, cleaned and dry |
| Carpet cleaners, steam cleaners, floor scrubbers, electric pressure washers | Yes, with tanks emptied, rinsed and fully dry |
| Pool and spa pumps and hoses | Yes, drained, rinsed and dry |
| Cloths, mop heads and sponges | Yes if clean and dry. Wet, or soaked in any product, no |
| Cordless vacuums and other battery kit | Yes, within the battery limits in clause 20 |
| Petrol pressure washer | See our page on petrol tools |
Why "as a rule" for the everyday stuff? Our own guide to what you can and can't store says "cleaning products are not allowed in storage units, as they can leak, cause contamination or emit harmful fumes". Our guide for business customers puts it plainly: if you are storing "chemicals, cleaning products, fuels", "speak with us before you move anything in. The default answer is no".
The label won't tell you it's allowed
No flame symbol doesn't mean a product is allowed. Hazard pictograms on GB labels are red-bordered diamonds, and there are several besides the flame: corrosion, an exclamation mark for a health hazard, a gas cylinder for gas under pressure, and more. A product can carry any of them, or none, and still be a chemical under clause 18(e). Bleach, for example, is barred whether or not its label shows a flame. Any hazard symbol means it's out, and no symbol doesn't mean it's in.
Our prohibited-items guide explains why: "One spill or slow leak in an enclosed unit can contaminate an entire corridor." A unit is closed and unattended for weeks, next to other people's sofas and boxes, and a split bottle nobody sees can damage more than your own things. Clause 18(h) also bars goods "that are a risk to the property of any person".
Cleaning businesses and traders
Your kit can live in a unit between jobs: vacuums, carpet and upholstery machines, steam cleaners, mops, buckets, ladders and clean cloths. Your chemical stock can't, however well it's sealed or boxed. Store it somewhere you control, such as a workshop or garage, following the storage advice on each label. Access is normally 6am to 10pm (check your site's page); ask us about visiting between jobs. Our guide on running a business from a storage unit covers the rest.
Two practical points for kit. Empty and rinse every tank and let it dry before it goes in, because a machine holding dirty water or solution will smell, and clause 18(f) bars items that give off odours. And if your vacuums and tools are cordless, clause 20 limits lithium batteries: lithium-ion batteries over 160Wh can't be stored unless built in and not removable, and power banks can't be stored at all. Clause 20(d) caps laptops, tablets, children's toys "or other similar items containing built-in batteries" at ten per unit. We read that as one combined cap, so cordless kit that counts as a similar item shares the ten with any laptops, tablets and battery toys in the unit. Clause 20.1 adds that such kit must be "not stacked and are stored allowing air circulation", so leave space around it. Our page on e-bikes and lithium batteries sets those limits out. If you're unsure how your kit counts, call us on 0800 2545585 before you book.
Landlords and letting agents between tenancies
A unit is a good place for the furniture while a property is cleaned, painted and shown; our guide to storing furniture between tenancies covers that. The cleaning cupboard is the exception. Products left behind by a tenant, and the supplies you or your cleaner use for the turnaround, stay out of the unit. See below for getting rid of what you don't need.
On who can visit: clause 14 says "Only You or Your Agents may access the Unit", and you are "responsible for and liable to Us and other users of the Facility for Your own actions and those of Your Agents". If a cleaner or contractor will collect kit, ask us how to give them smart entry access; our page on sharing access to your unit explains more. Access is normally 6am to 10pm (check your site's page).
Moving house or clearing a relative's home
Before a move or a clearance, empty the under-sink cupboard separately. Take usable products with you and store them following the storage advice on each label. If you'll have nowhere to keep them during the move, use them up or give them away beforehand, or keep them in the car rather than in the load going to storage. For anything you don't want, GOV.UK has a postcode finder that tells you whether your council offers a service for hazardous waste "like chemicals and batteries" (find a local hazardous waste disposal service). If the products belong to a business, ask your waste carrier instead. Paint and garden chemicals follow the same rules: see paint and decorating supplies and lawnmowers, petrol tools and gas bottles.
Already in your unit?
Take it out on your next visit. The rule covers products already inside, and under clause 27 we can "require You to remove Goods if in Our opinion storage of such Goods creates a risk to the safety of any person or property." Under clause 32 you must compensate us for claims and costs "resulting from or incidental to" your use of the unit, including "the Goods themselves", or a "breach of this Agreement" by you, so a leak that damages a neighbour's belongings could fall to you. If you can't get to the site soon, call us on 0800 2545585.
Clause 23 asks you to keep your unit "clean and in good repair". If you want to give it a wipe down on your last visit, ask us what you can bring in for the day.
Storing your things with us
With the products kept elsewhere, the rest of the house, the furniture and your cleaning kit can go in, apart from anything else on our prohibited list. Get a price online, or call 0800 2545585 if you've a product or machine you're unsure about.
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