Frequent use of disinfectant – should you be worried?

Many of us have become more vigilant in our cleaning routines since the pandemic began. We’ve all become increasingly aware of the importance of cleaning practices to reduce the spread of disease. Unsurprisingly, this has prompted huge growth for many hygiene categories in retail, including a 32.0% increase for bleach products*. This suggests many of us are cleaning more frequently and doing so more thoroughly, and it is expected this will only increase and be sustained. We no longer want our surfaces and workplaces to “look” clean, we also want reassurance that our environment is disinfected and our risk to health is minimised.

It is great that we’re all trying to do our bit to reduce transmission, but are there any drawbacks to this approach of using disinfectant more frequently?

Potential Health Hazards

Whilst disinfectants are generally safe, we do need to be mindful of how to use them correctly and protect children, or those with respiratory conditions. If bleach products are inhaled, they may cause irritation resulting in sneezing, coughing, or shortness of breath. Over time, and frequent use, users may develop a sensitivity which could result in the development of asthma or upper respiratory problems. There is also concern that prolonged disinfectant use could result in antimicrobial resistance, meaning these chemicals could be less effective over time.

When using these products, you need to:

• Make sure you are in a well-ventilated room
• Avoid contact with skin
• After disinfecting, remove product from surfaces
• Find a balance between staying safe from transmitting germs, and trying to disinfect everything

The Alternative

At CCL, our products avoid the inclusion of bleach. Instead, we recommend the use of hypochlorous acid; a natural alternative to disinfecting in a safe, effective, and environmentally friendly way. Most people are surprised to learn that it is non-toxic to humans and animals, and is therefore safe for use around children, whilst also killing 99.9999% of germs on contact.

Find out more about hypochlorous acid here.

And browse our product range to see how you could incorporate it into your cleaning regime here.

*Source: Kantar 12 w/e 17^th May 2020