by Philip Dickey
Turn on the TV or read any home-oriented magazine and you’ll see them. Ads for all kinds of household products containing germ-killing ingredients are everywhere. Hand soap, dishwashing liquid, underwear, kitchen sponges, toothbrushes, toothpaste, mattresses, cutting boards, window cleaner, socks, cycling shorts, chop sticks, and facial tissues are all being marketed for their ability to kill germs.
It’s been estimated that more than 700 antimicrobial-infused products are now available, including 76% ofall liquid soaps.
Consumers, driven by frightening stories of E. coli outbreaks, bizarre viruses, and drug-resistant germs are buying this stuff in the hopes that it will keep them safe (or their gym clothes from smelling).
Disinfectants, Antiseptics, and Antimicrobials
If you are confused by all the names and labels, you’re not alone.
Antimicrobial is the general term for any product or ingredient that kills or inhibits bacteria, viruses, or moulds.
Antibacterials, on the other hand, are only effective against bacteria. Until recently, the main kinds of home antimicrobial products were disinfectants and antiseptics.
Disinfectants are products that kill micro-organisms (usually both bacteria and viruses) on surfaces like countertops or toilet seats.
Antiseptics are products for use on the skin for cuts and scrapes.
Antimicrobial Ingredients – Triclosan
Most of the soaps and other household objects that boast germ-killing powers contain triclosan, an antibacterial agent that kills bacteria but has little or no effect on viruses. This distinction is important because most common household illnesses like colds and the flu are caused by viruses, so antibacterial ingredients will not prevent them from spreading. In 2005, an FDA advisory panel of experts voted 11 to one that antibacterial soaps were no more effective than regular soap and water in fighting infections.
Depending on the company that sells the chemical, triclosan also appears in products as Microban, Irgasan (DP 300 or PG 60), Biofresh, Lexol-300, Ster-Zac or Cloxifenolum.
Some scientists are calling for the removal of triclosan from consumer products because it is building up in the ocean’s food web. A new study found that one-third of the bottlenose dolphins tested off South Carolina and almost one-quarter of those tested off Florida carried traces of triclosan in their blood. The concentrations found in the dolphins are known to disrupt the hormones and growth and development of other animals. Studies in bullfrogs found that triclosan disrupts the endocrine system – blocking the tadpoles’ development into frogs at concentrations found in the environment. After spitting your toothpaste down the sink or washing your liquid soap down the drain, it ends up in a sewage treatment plant, where 90 to 98 percent of the chemical is broken down, before the wastewater is discharged into freshwater or directly into oceans along the coasts. Triclosan was one of the most frequently detected chemicals in a survey of streams in 30 states conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and, according to a 2008 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention three-quarters of people tested in the United States had triclosan in their urine.
Good Bugs, Bad Bugs
Some very nasty diseases are caused by bacteria and viruses, but most of the microbes around us are harmless and some are beneficial or necessary. Beneficial microbes found in the soil release nutrients for plants and without the bacteria in our digestive tract, we wouldn’t have the vitamin K that is needed for our blood to clot when we get a cut.
What we need to do is protect the beneficial microbes and kill the bad ones when they threaten to spread disease. As Dr. Stuart Levy from the Tufts University School of Medicine has pointed out, this doesn’t mean that we need to be at war with the microbial world. In fact, there is considerable evidence that some exposure to bacteria in the environment is actually beneficial because it helps the immune system develop. Some studies have shown an increase in allergies and asthma in people who were raised in an overly sterile environment. Where are the bad bugs most likely to be found? In the kitchen, it turns out. Surprisingly kitchens often harbor more nasty germs than bathrooms. That doesn’t mean you should eat your meals in the bathroom, but you should give some thought to your kitchen practices.
Super Bugs
Recently, Health Canada recommended avoiding antibacterial products because they kill good bacteria that fight bad germs, and because of concerns over antibacterial resistance.
Resistance is a serious problem with antibiotics that has arisen in part because of improper use of antibiotics by patients. Triclosan is thought to cause a similar resistance to develop because its mechanism of action is very specific and its use is becoming so widespread. In fact, resistance to triclosan has already been observed in the laboratory. (Chlorine bleach and alcohol do not cause resistance because they are so destructive to the cells.)
The concept is easy to understand. If a product doesn’t kill all the germs, it’s the susceptible ones that get killed first, leaving the hardier ones behind. These can multiply and eventually outnumber the susceptible bugs.
It has been speculated that if there is an association between infections in early childhood and a decreased incidence of allergies and asthma, it is possible that the excessive use of antibacterials in the home may predispose children to the development of allergies and asthma.
The Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association concluded in 2000 that the use in consumer products of antimicrobials in which resistance has been seen should be discontinued unless data can conclusively show that this resistance has no impact on public health and that such products actually prevent infection. Indeed, the Canadian Paediatric Society does not recommend the use of antimicrobial-impregnated household products.
Do You Really Need an Antimicrobial?
Let’s begin by dispelling the myth that you can have a germ-free home. You cannot maintain a sterile home environment with normal efforts. Disinfectants kill germs on surfaces temporarily, but cannot provide long-lasting disinfection. There are a few situations where disinfectants may occasionally be needed, but there are many others where they aren’t. Disinfecting the toilet bowl is surely an exercise in futility. Another one is using a spray disinfectant as a room deodourizer. You can’t disinfect the air this way.
When might you really need a disinfectant? One example is to clean up a sewer overflow in the basement. Another case is special health problems in the home that involve highly susceptible individuals or require cleaning up contaminated material. If such conditions exist, consult your physician for advice. For most other home uses, simple cleaning with soap or detergent and clean water should suffice if done frequently and thoroughly. In the kitchen, however, there is no margin for error (see recommendations.)
Alternative Antimicrobials
A number of common household substances like vinegar and borax are often suggested in books and articles as “alternative” and “non-toxic” disinfectants. Use them as cleaners if you like, but don’t depend on them to disinfect.
Similarly, several plant oils (tea tree oil, grapefruit seed extract) are often described as disinfectants, and there are some commercial products based on these ingredients.
I believe that hydrogen peroxide is one of the safest disinfectants available, provided the concentration is not more than about 3%, which is what you can buy as an over-the-counter antiseptic. (Note: concentrated hydrogen peroxide is a potent oxidizer and is extremely dangerous!)
For More Information
Hartman, S. “Antibacterials and Disinfectants: Are They Necessary?” www.checnet.org/healthehouse/education/articles-detail.asp?Main_ID=121
Levy, Stuart B. “Antibacterial Household Products: Cause for Concern.” www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/levy.htm
Reynolds, T. “Are Antimicrobial Goods for Consumers Worth the Cost?” Annals of Internal Medicine, Volume 127 Issue 6, 15 September 1997, Pages 497-498. www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/127/6/497
Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS)
Paediatrics & Child Health 2006;11(3):169-173
Reference No. ID06-02
http://www.cps.ca/English/statements/ID/ID06-02.htm#ANTIMICROBIALRESISTANCE
Environmental Health News, August, 2009
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/triclosan-and-dolphins
8 Ways to Clean Without Germ-Killing Soaps
Avoid household products containing triclosan. There is little evidence they are effective in homes and considerable concern about resistance. Triclosan does not kill viruses.
Wash your hands frequently during the day with hot water and soap, especially before eating, after using the bathroom, and after contacting surfaces that might harbor a lot of germs.
Keep your house clean using cleaning products without antimicrobials. Don’t try to maintain a germ-free environment unless there is a particular medical reason to do so in your family. Shift your spending to safe, eco-friendly cleaners.
Handle meat, fish, or poultry with care. Avoid cross-contaminating utensils, cutting boards, sponges, towels, or hands. Use one cutting board just for meat, fish, or poultry. Use only clean implements on food that will not be cooked before eating. Plastic boards can go in the dishwasher, and can also be disinfected with bleach, but microwaving them does nothing. Wooden boards can be microwaved (if they are small enough), but they cannot be disinfected with bleach because the bleach reacts with the wood and loses its potency.
Replace kitchen sponges frequently. Disinfect them weekly by boiling in water for at least three minutes. Launder dishrags in hot water every week. Keep sponges and rags as dry as possible.
Don’t use aerosol disinfectants as air fresheners. You can’t disinfect the air. Find the source of an unpleasant odour and deal with it appropriately.
Keep an antiseptic in the home for cuts and scrapes.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers aren’t antimicrobial, and don’t contain triclosan. Hand sanitizers must be at least 60 percent alcohol to effectively fight germs.
