Many people have long used disinfectants to sanitize their homes and workplaces; their use has sharply increased most recently as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, a recent study suggests that we might be using them excessively, which would be bad for both the environment and our health.
Whether they are wipes or sprays, people, and mothers in particular, use a variety of cleaning products to keep bacteria at bay. According to CBS, a recent study published in Environmental Science and Technology raises the possibility that excessive cleaning needs to be curtailed.
Most antibacterial soaps and cleaning supplies contain ingredients referred to as quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs).
According to the study, consuming too much of the substance’s active ingredient—which eliminates viruses, fungi, and germs—can harm your health.
“They’re also very effective, but they’re overkill, and they can be irritating to our skin,” said Dr. Mark Olszyk with Carroll Hospital. He claims that excessive cleaning could be hazardous and breed bacteria with bacterial resistance.
“So you’re courting the ones that have built-in resistance, and now you have the opposite of what you intended,” he said. “You want to get rid of bacteria. Instead, you created this very highly resistant species of bacteria. That’s something you really want to avoid.”
Surprisingly, the doctor only suggests using soap and water to clean something.
According to Olszyk, the supplies you need to clean yourself in the shower work just as well at home.
“If it’s good enough to take care of you in those situations, then it’s good enough for food preparation surfaces, the bathroom, the kitchen, and anywhere else,” he said.
Additionally, using fewer cleaning products would lessen the amount of waste that is dumped in landfills and prevent any exposure that might harm insects, plants, or animals.
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