When we think of household chores, it is likely that we think of disinfectants that are used to help us clean appliances, countertops, floors, etc. Have you ever stopped to think about what is in those disinfectants? Can you name ingredients in your common Lysol wipes? I know that I cannot. Today, I will talk about a household cleaner that I use constantly: Lysol Disinfectant Spray. What is the difference between sterilization and disinfectant? Well disinfecting something brings down the pathogen level to what is deemed as acceptable, whereas sterilization gets rid of all pathogens. In the case of Lysol, we are only disinfecting.
Above is a picture of Lysol that I have in my dorm. Such a beauty, isn’t she? She gets plenty of use by me, as I am constantly cleaning! Especially with the pandemic, I have become something of a germaphobe. As stated on the front of the bottle, Lysol claims that this product kills over 100 different pathogens, including the COVID-19 virus that we have become very familiar with. Sounds perfect, right? For $5, you get a can of chemicals that are able to reduce the risk of harm of many pathogens; but what is the fine print? In order to be able to kill pathogens, you must spray this on a fomite and allow it to sit for ten minutes, with some pathogens killed on minute three of continuous wetness, with others waiting the whole ten minutes. So for this to be effective, you must allow surfaces to remain wet and then to air dry; but you do not want to let it come into contact with neither humans nor animals, as it is toxic!
I do not know about you, but I come from a family of healthcare, with my mother nursing for over twenty years now. This is important because she has raised me to be paranoid about any and everything! She has taught me general safety, as well as what she has picked up in healthcare. For example, she has always raised me to use caution when using disinfectants, as they can be toxic. Because of this, I know to always use gloves and to wear a mask when handling disinfectants such as Lysol, as I do not wish to suffer from the outcomes of toxicity! Backing her claims, here is a link to an article from the Cleveland Clinic explaining the details.
In the case of my can of Lysol, the active ingredient is ethanol (58%), with alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium saccharinate (0.10%) and other ingredients (41.90%). Starting with the alkyl, here is a link from the NIH that talks about the toxicity of the compound. Within the article, the NIH states that this compound is toxic in the oral tract, and that inhaling can cause severe swelling and other impacts from the toxicity of the compound. Lastly we have ethanol, with the link to an article by the NIH linked here. In this article, the editors describe that at different contents, the effects can be different. With a lower dosage, one can expect to have nausea, amnesia, and hypothermia, along with other symptoms. At higher dosages, respiratory depressions, comas, and death are all likely. It is very safe to say that one should not ingest this product in any way!
When researching homemade anti-microbial products, it is very common to see what are claimed to be “natural” cleaners. As someone who practices alternative healing methods, I have tried to use some of these myself. For example, an article, linked here, talks about a way to make your own homemade cleaner using white vinegar. Personally, I have used recipes like this and I have liked the outcome of the homemade recipes for “natural” cleaners. White vinegar, as stated here by the David Suzuki Foundation, is a natural antibacterial that is able to prevent growth of SOME bacteria. For simple household usages, I would suggest to try it out! In more intense settings such as hospitals, I would stick to chemicals. Nature has a cure for almost everything, but as we grow more advanced, we need more advanced chemicals to keep us safe and alive. It is commonly known that these alternative cleaners can be less effective than cleaners such as Lysol, but they can be useful. This is the most major drawback to using “natural” methods.
As stated previously, I have used alternative methods to heal and to clean in the past. I have found that they are very effective (when used correctly), and I feel comfortable using them to a certain level. I would feel comfortable to use a natural cleaner, as noted in the previous paragraph, if I was wiping down a shelf. However, If I were to be using raw chicken on a counter top, I would be inclined to use a professional-grade cleaner. Due to this, I would like to say that I am inclined to use both, and that they are both effective, but to different extents. Though my own personal culture and beliefs are not 100% leaning one way or another (western vs. holistic), I think that aspects of all types of medicines/cleaners are able to effectively deal with the issue at hand!
MCRO with Cody 