Put down the laundry detergent tab and pick up a doughnut.
That's the message from a bakery based in Springfield, Missouri after a flood of recent stories in which teenagers are reportedly eating laundry detergent pods as part of a social media challenge.
Hurts Donut Company, which has stores in more than a half-dozen states, made a post on Facebook reminding customers that they should consume delicious doughnuts that look like the clothing cleaner, not the actual cleaner.
In the post, a laundry detergent pod is seen with the words "no" marked across it, while a doughnut is seen with a similar design with the words "yes".
The sweets-maker jokingly wrote in the caption that a new problem has emerged: adults are throwing doughnuts in the washer.
The post has already racked up almost 3,000 shares.
Doctors have warned that consuming the actual pods, which began as a joke on social media could have serious medical consequences.
Online “memes” feature photos depicting the laundry pods as a pizza topping or breakfast cereal. Videos posted on Twitter appear to show people biting into the detergent pacs and spitting them out.
The chemical pacs can burn the mouth, lips and esophagus if ingested.