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clorox recalls pine-sol cleaning products that may contain infection-causing bacteria

clorox has recalled several types of its pine-sol cleaning products because of concerns over bacterial contamination.

several pine-sol products have been recalled
clorox says about 7.6 million units of the recalled pine-sol products were sold in canada between january 2021 and september 2022. reuters
take a look through your household cleaning products to see what you’re using to keep germs at bay.
clorox is recalling several types of its pine-sol cleaning products because of concerns over bacterial contamination. the cleaning products may actually contain and spread infection-causing bacteria.

in canada, the recall applies to several sizes of pine-sol multi-surface cleaner in the scents lavender clean, lemon fresh and mandarin sunrise, ctv news reports . these products may contain bacteria, and “out of an abundance of caution,” the company is urging people not to use them. customers who have already bought the products can be reimbursed.

in the u.s., the pine-sol recalled the same product in the scents lavender clean, sparkling wave, and lemon fresh, the american consumer product safety commission announced . clorox is also recalling four clorox pro pine-sol all purpose cleaners in lavender clean, sparkling wave, lemon fresh, and orange energy, as well as the clorox professional pine-sol lemon fresh cleaners.

clorox is urging customers to immediately dispose of the product and contact the company for a refund. none of the other scents sold in canada – the original pine scent, spring blossom and rainforest due — are included in the recall.

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testing has identified the bacteria pseudomonas aeruginosa in certain recalled products, which include those produced between january 2021 and september 2022. the company produced about 37 million recalled products during that period, the commission said.

what is pseudomonas aeruginosa?

the bacteria pseudomonas aeruginosa can cause infections in people – mostly in hospital patients – by infecting the lungs (causing pneumonia), the blood, or other body parts after surgery, according to the u.s. centers for disease control and prevention (cdc).

clorox says about 7.6 million units of the recalled products were sold in canada between january 2021 and september 2022, the canadian press reports . there have been no reports of illness received by the company.

the commission specified the recall bottles have date codes beginning with the prefix a4, followed by a five-digit number lower than 2249. (date codes can be found on the bottle next to the barcode.)
one of the problems with infections caused by pseudomonas aeruginosa is that the bacteria are finding new ways to avoid the antibiotics used to destroy them. if they develop resistance to several antibiotics, these germs could become multi-drug resistant.

according to the cdc’s antibiotic threats in the united states, 2019 report , multidrug-resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa caused an approximate 32,600 infections among hospitalized patients and 2,700 estimated deaths. people considered most at risk are patients on breathing machines, those with wounds from surgery or burns, or people with devices such as catheters.

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the bacteria lives in the environment and is typically spread to people in hospitals when they’re exposed to soil or water that is contaminated with these potentially harmful bacteria. resistant strains are also spread through contaminated surfaces, equipment and hands – which is why sanitation practices for infection control in health-care facilities are so critical.

the cdc also advises hospitals to follow water management plans to protect water quality and reduce the risk of exposure to harmful germs.

as the consumer product safety commission explains, pseudomonas aeruginosa can enter your body if inhaled, through the eyes, or through breaks in the skin. while it isn’t expected to negatively affect people with healthy immune systems, people with weakened immune systems or external medical devices can be at risk of serious infection, the commission added.  

tips to avoid infection

the most important move people can make to avoid getting sick and spreading germs, is to keep their hands clean, the cdc advises. that means washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer. in hospital settings, this is especially crucial before and after caring for wounds or touching a medical device.

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also, patients can gently remind health-care providers and caregivers to clean their hands, and allow health-care team members to clean your room daily.

how does product contamination happen in manufacturing?

microbes, like bacteria, can be introduced into products even when good manufacturing practices are diligently followed, according to environmental non-profit greenblue .

for example, numerous household and personal care product formulations contain water, which is essential to microbe growth. and even the greener, more environmentally products on the market are more likely to be primarily water-based and contain biodegradable ingredients that often are made from plant sugars – which are also food for microbes. so preservatives are used in almost all liquid household and personal care products.

preservatives also bring their own health complications, like parabens that have linked to hormone disruptors and other compounds that release formaldehyde, and companies are taking steps to respond to public concerns and disclose the preservatives they use. the u.s. environmental protection agency has identified safer chemical ingredients for manufacturing, but some of these, like certain organic acids, are not effective against all bacteria.

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ultimately, consumers drive market demand, so we need to read product labels and stay informed.
2021-10-28 correction — this article was updated to clarify the pine-sol products are cleaning products and not disinfectants.
karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.
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karen hawthorne
karen hawthorne

karen hawthorne worked for six years as a digital editor for the national post, contributing articles on health, business, culture and travel for affiliated newspapers across canada. she now writes from her home office in toronto as a freelancer, and takes breaks to bounce with her son on the backyard trampoline and walk bingo, her bull terrier.

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