A few weeks ago I stood in the cleaning aisle wondering what to get. Since I'm a die-hard label reader, I grabbed some containers and turned them around so I could assess the ingredients.
Are these wipes your go to for getting rid of germs fast? You might want to think again before grabbing the various brands of well known disinfecting wipes, which are rated a HIGH CONCERN on the Environmental Working Group’s Cleaning Database. They could be posing a health hazard to your family. “The American Medical Association discourages the use of antibacterial agents in consumer products because they may encourage the development of "superbugs" - antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Quat-resistant bacteria have been detected in homes routinely cleaned with antibacterial products. These bacteria were also resistant to a number of other important antibiotics, suggesting that regular exposure to quats could create microorganisms difficult or impossible to control with today's antibiotic arsenal.” -EWG 2011
Lets look at the ingredients found in Lysol 4 in 1 disinfecting wipes, citrus:
ALKYL DIMETHYL BENZYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDES - registered with our government as a pesticide, is known as an asthmagen, known to lower reproductive ability in animals, according to the EPA it poses a HIGH RISK for human health, very high environmental toxic, rated HIGHEST CONCERN on EWG’s rating scale, also known as gastrointestinal or liver toxicant, immunotoxicant, neurotoxicant, respiratory toxicant, and skin or organ toxicant
MYRISTALKONIUM SACCHARINATE - known as a moderate asthmagen allergen, known to lower reproductive ability in animals, rated a HIGH CONCERN on EWG’s rating scale
ALCOHOL DENATURED - The European Union labels it as an occupational hazard related to handling, classified on the Environment Canada Domestic Substance List as “expected to be toxic or harmful and a medium human health priority”, moderate to acute toxicity to aquatic life, rated as a LOW CONCERN on EWG’s cleaning products rating scale and 4 on Skin Deep’s database
Lysol 4 in 1 Disinfecting Wipes, Citrus