So many people are hoarding disinfectant wipes during the era of COVID which makes the rest of them scarce and unavailable for others to buy. But if you only knew 9 dirty truths about disinfectant wipes, you may not have the need to hoard so many yourself. And you will only use them sparingly when needed.
Let’s go over the 9 dirty truths about these wipes which will only give you a much better understanding of them.
They Are Not Meant For Being Used On Your Skin
Did you touch something germy but you don’t have access to hand sanitizer or a washroom where you can wash your hands with soap and water? But you have disinfecting wipes by you? You are better off just dealing with the germs on your hands and keeping them away from your face until you can get to a washroom to wash them with soap and water. Disinfecting wipes contain chemicals that are not good for your skin as it will cause irritation. And don’t use them as baby wipes either.
They Are Not Meant To Be Used On Every Surface
Before you buy disinfecting wipes, you must read the label to know where they can be used safely. Usually, they are good for countertops and ceramic. But do not use them on carpeting or wood. The components in the wipes can easily damage carpeting and wood, and other surfaces that are finished in a certain way.
You Cannot Replace Disinfecting For Cleaning
If you are using disinfecting for routine cleaning, then you are doing it wrong. Routine cleaning removes germs from surfaces whereas disinfectant wipes kill off germs. But the compounds are rough and can damage any surface if too much of it is used. There are other problems if you use disinfectant wipes instead of paper towel with soap and water to clean surfaces.
Using The Same Wipe To Clean Different Surfaces Transfers Germs To Them
If you are cleaning with disinfectant wipes instead of disinfecting a germy area, and you have used up one wipe, then continuing to use that wipe to clean other surfaces will only transfer the germs to those surfaces. That defeats the purpose, doesn’t it? For instance, if you are cutting up chicken and you use a wipe to clean the area where you were working to remove salmonella – and you use that same wipe to clean the table and other areas, you are transferring salmonella to those areas!
Using Wipes Too Much Can Cause Difficult Bacteria To Breed
There is another reason you never want to replace routine cleaning with disinfecting. Not all bacteria on surfaces are bad. In fact, some are needed to keep the bad ones at bay. But disinfectant wipes kill all bacteria, good and bad. This only leads to the breeding of superbugs that are resistant to disinfectant wipes of any kind! That is the last thing you want.
You Cannot Store Wipes In Your Car
It is easy to want to keep the wipes in the glove compartment of your car if you plan on disinfecting your car. But the fact of the matter is, you can only store these wipes in room temperature settings. If extreme heat or cold is exposed to these wipes, then your wipes will develop mold on them and if you disinfect areas with the moldy wipes, you are just spreading the fungi all around!
Disinfectant Wipes Are Not Safe For Kids
Common sense should tell every parent to keep those wipes away from their kids. But the fact of the matter is the one thing that is forgotten is not washing toys after they have been disinfected. It is fine to use wipes to disinfect toys. But it is essential to wash toys with soap and water after wipes have been used on them or else the kids will ingest chemicals from the wipes. That can make them very sick.
Wipes Don’t Last Forever
The one thing that you may not consider is that wipes do expire and if they have been around for more than one year, you will want to toss them out. That is because mold grows in between the folds of the wipes and you could be spreading that fungi around as you intend to use them to disinfect surfaces. If the scent is weak, then it is time to toss them away.
Disinfectant Wipes Are Not Enough For Cleaning Your Bathroom
You have a large variety of bacteria and viruses lurking in your bathroom. If you think that disinfectant wipes will kill them all off, then you are mistaken. You need a lot of cleaning supplies in addition to using the disinfectant wipes to properly clean your bathroom.
The problem is that many people are using disinfectant wipes the wrong way and for the wrong reasons. You must read the labels of the wipes which will give you detailed instructions on where to use them, how to use them, and when it is appropriate to use them.
