GOLDEN, Colo. -- Products from the Clorox company arrived at Coal Creek Elementary in Golden with instructions to hand them out to parents.

But instead, school officials gave them directly to students, who range from kindergarteners to fifth-graders, reported KMGH-TV in Denver.

When the children came home with the items, some parents were very concerned.

The young students received samples of gel Clorox cleanup, disinfectant cleaner, and disinfectant wipes.

Parents told the television station that some of the children thought the products were toys, and others simply put them in their backpacks, and opened the products later.

"And they used the wet wipes on their face," said concerned mother Cathy Settle.

Settle said she was so angry that she called Clorox and then the school. She even talked to her son's teacher.

"And I said, 'You're bright. You've got kids of your own. Why would you hand my child a Clorox sample?' She said, 'Cathy, I looked at the packet. It had a little girl on the front of it. We thought it was wet wipes,'" Settle said.

Clorox has an online program called Clean Up The Classroom, where teachers can preregister for a sample. But this was not a part of that program. This was direct marketing, the station reported.

A Clorox spokeswoman said that there was a letter that arrived with the box of products and that letter clearly stated that the items should be distributed to parents only.

"Well, I think Clorox can find a better way to market their product. And they certainly have a right to market their product like everybody else, but through children and schools -- I think that's inappropriate," said parent Scott Sayre.

Vicki Friedman from Clorox' public relations firm sent the television station a statement that said, "We're disappointed. We do everything we can to make sure schools understand the intention for the sample bags we send."

The school district is currently on spring break so the principal was not available for comment.

However, a district spokeswoman said this appears to be an isolated incident and that when the Jefferson County School District learned about it, they notified other schools.

The district also sent a letter home to parents after the incident occurred and said that the product distribution was done in error and apologized for the error.