When it comes to disinfecting your home, does the old saying stuck between a rock and a hard place come to mind? On one hand, you want to use a product that kills all the germs that carry bacteria and viruses. On the other hand, you want something safe to use around your children and pets.
First, let’s look at the pros and cons of one of the most popular cleaning products, bleach.
It might just take one whiff of the strong odor of bleach to be transported back in time. Before commercial cleaning products hit the market, bleach, vinegar and baking soda were commonly used to clean. Straight bleach is still available, but a more pleasant smelling bleach is available in wipes and as a spray product. Here are a few facts about bleach:
Benefits of using Bleach
Bleach is very inexpensive and is effective at removing and killing viruses like the common cold, flu or SARS-CoV-2, and virus that causes COVID-19 on hard, nonporous surfaces.
Problems with Bleach
According to a fact sheet funded by the Agency for Toxic substances and Disease registry, bleach can:
- Irritate the skin and eyes, so it’s best to wear gloves when using bleach.
- Make asthma worse in those who already have asthma.
- Corrode many metals. Bleach should never be used on stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, marble, or granite.
- Be harmful when swallowed.
- Create toxic gasses when combined with ingredients in toilet bowl cleaners, glass and window cleaners, dish detergents, vinegar and drain cleaners.
- Bleach has no residual value.
If you are concerned about killing germs, know that bleach has a short shelf life. After six months, bleach starts to degrade and becomes 20 percent less effective each year.
Disinfecting Without Chemicals
Non-toxic household products, like vinegar, lemons and baking soda, can be used for cleaning. For example, a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water can clean windows and counters. (Do not use vinegar on granite, marble and stone as it can harm those surfaces.)
It’s important to remember, though, there is a difference between cleaning and disinfecting.
You can remove dirt and grime with home remedies but you will not remove germs. So when you want to disinfect your home, BactroKill is a highly effective disinfectant and sanitizer. It’s an EPA registered antimicrobial spray disinfectant and is safe on any surface. The residual value of BactroKill is 1 to 4 weeks.
BactroKill is a:
- Bactericide
- Fungicide
- Virucide
- Cleaner
- Deodorizer
Best of all, it will not harm pets or children!
We share your concern regarding eco-friendly products. You can purchase BactroKill online or visit any of these retailers: Ace Hardware, True Value, Do It Best, Ace fix-it Hardware and Busy Beaver.
