Since the Pandemic, People Have Stocked Up on Cleaning Solvents and Disinfectants. Does the Public Know What Is In These Products?
Dateline/Creve Coeur, MO. USA/June 11th, 2022/Written by: Jeffrey L. Klump
When the pandemic began in 2020, people were grabbing disinfectant spray, wipes, and other cleaning solvents like it was going out of style.
Some of this had to do with supply chain disruptions, but most of it was because people were freaking out about keeping germs out of their homes.
The problem with this of course is, that few actually read labels on consumer products, especially disinfectants and supplements they buy from Walmart, Costco, or Amazon.
Most of the above mention big-ticket stores mentioned above get their cleaning products and supplements from China.
China is one of the worst countries with consumer protections in place.
That shouldn’t be surprising since most of what China makes is from slave labor.
In today’s world, it pays to be a label reader for consumer products like disinfectants and of course, what you put in your mouth.
A look at one of the most commonly used disinfectants in America is quite revealing.
I am speaking of the product Lysol.
Here are just a few of the chemicals in your average Lysol product:
- MEA-Borate –
MEA-Borate is an ester of Ethanolamine (q.v.) and Boric Acid (q.v.).
Boric acid and its sodium borate salts are pesticides that we can find in nature and many products. Borax is one of the most common products. Boric acid and its sodium salts each combine boron with other elements in a different way. In general, their toxicities depend on the amount of boron they contain.
Boric acid and its sodium salts can be used to control a wide variety of pests. These include insects, spiders, mites, algae, molds, fungi, and weeds. Products that contain boric acid have been registered for use in the United States since 1948.
Warning
Overexposure to borax can cause the following symptoms:
- Headache
- Weakness
- Lightheadedness
- Dizziness
- Tremors
- Passing out
Ethanolamine has several important industrial uses: as a “scrubber” to remove carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and other acidic pollutants from waste gas streams; as a starting material for manufacturing surfactants, chelating agents, and even pharmaceuticals; as an agent for softening leather; and as an additive for controlling pH in industrial water streams.
- Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Saccharinate –
N-Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Saccharinate, trade name Onyxide® 3300, is a quaternary amine biocide that helps disinfect and/or sanitize hard surfaces, particularly in aerosols.
- Ethanol –
Ethanol is an important industrial chemical; it is used as a solvent, in the synthesis of other organic chemicals, and as an additive to automotive gasoline (forming a mixture known as gasohol). Ethanol is also the intoxicating ingredient of many alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and distilled spirits.
- MIPA – Borate –
is a reaction product of Isopropanolamine (q.v.) and Boric Acid
What is Isopropanolamine used for?
Isopropanolamines are used in a wide array of applications, including cement and concrete processing aids, gas purification, surfactants (primarily for home and personal care products), cosmetic formulations, corrosion inhibitors, metalworking fluids, and as emulsifiers, dispersants, and wetting agents.
- Ammonium Hydroxide –
It is a solution of ammonia in water. Ammonium hydroxide is used as a cleaning agent and sanitizer in many household and industrial cleaners. Ammonium hydroxide is also used in the manufacture of products such as fertilizer, plastic, rayon, and rubber.
Health Risks for Humans
Direct contact with Lysol can cause eye irritation, therefore, shield your eyes when using Lysol cleaning products. Measures should also be taken to avoid making any contact with skin, food, or clothing. After using Lysol products you should wash your hands immediately with antibacterial soap and warm water to prevent skin irritation. If you get Lysol in your eyes, remove contacts, in applicable situations, and flush your eyes out extensively for at least 15 minutes with water. If the irritation does not subside, seek medical care immediately. If Lysol products are swallowed or consumed internally, call poison control and your doctor immediately. Lysol contains denatured ethanol, which is poisonous to humans. High concentrations of Lysol can also cause lung irritation.
There are several other brands that use non-toxic and environmentally safe ingredients in their cleaning products.
One brand of disinfectant is one that I have been using for more than 3 years, and that is Sol U Guard from a U.S. manufacturer called Melaleuca.
The 2 main ingredients in Solu U Guard are Thymol, also known as essential thyme oil, and Citric Acid.
The EPA has certified Sol U Guard as a disinfectant that will kill Covid and other viruses.
Take a closer look at the 2 main ingredients in Sol U Guard.
Thyme Oil Uses
Thyme is a widely used herb in cooking, because of its minty flavor. However, the thyme essence is not dominating and so doesn’t overpower the other flavors of a dish. Thus, thyme lends the dish a warm and aromatic flavor, without making it overbearing. But there are more to the uses of thyme than simply as a flavoring agent. The thyme oil extracted from the herb has excellent medicinal properties. Before the discovery of antibiotics, this oil was used to disinfect and clean wounds. It is rich in antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiseptic properties. This makes thyme oil a potent remedy for treating any infections and inflammations, as the main component of thyme oil is the antiseptic thymol. As such, thyme oil is an active ingredient in many creams, mouthwash, and hand sanitizers. Thyme oil also contains a significant amount of calcium, manganese, iron, and vitamin K.
Citric Acid
What are the benefits of citric acid?
Benefits of Citric Acid
- Preserve food. It is used to keep food fresh for longer periods. …
- Preserve personal care products. It may keep cosmetics and other products fresh for longer.
- Have protective effects on the body. Citric acid used in medicine can kill bacteria and lower the acid in urine.
- Remove tough stains.
What is citric acid?
Citric acid was first derived from lemon juice by a Swedish researcher in 1784 (1Trusted Source).
The odorless and colorless compound was produced from lemon juice until the early 1900s when researchers discovered that it could also be made from the black mold Aspergillus niger, which creates citric acid when it feeds on sugar (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).
Because of its acidic, sour-tasting nature, citric acid is predominantly used as a flavoring and preserving agent, especially in soft drinks and candies.
It’s also used to stabilize or preserve medicines and as a disinfectant.
SUMMARY
Citric acid is a compound originally derived from lemon juice. It’s produced today from a specific type of mold and used in a variety of applications.
Is citric acid an effective disinfectant?
Citric acid kills bacteria, mold, and mildew. It’s great for general disinfecting and cleaning. Note that it shouldn’t be used as a disinfectant against diseases like Covid-19.
Since citric acid kills some types of bacteria and viruses, you’ll find it in insect sprays, products that kill fungus or algae, hand sanitizer, and even some tissues you use to blow your nose. Environmental cleanup products. Citric acid can safely remove toxins from polluted soil and even clean up nuclear waste.
No matter what you use as a disinfectant cleaner, make sure that the one you use is not doing you more harm than good especially if it’s to save a couple of bucks in favor of a toxic disinfectant.
RELATED:
https://www.bhg.com/news/thymol-natural-cleaner-coronavirus/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1438463920305381
Thymol and Thyme Essential Oil—New Insights into Selected Therapeutic Applications – PMC (nih.gov)
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