Increasing & widespread use of Antimicrobial Products
Read the labels!!!!
So many of our industry and household products are claiming to contain germ-killing ingredients and look around, they can be found everywhere. Different variants of hand soap, antibacterial dishwashing liquid, our underwear, kitchen sponges, our toothbrushes, toothpaste, cutting boards, window cleaners, socks, cycling shorts and clothing, and even our mattresses and recently facial tissues, all marketed for their extreme ability to kill germs.
As consumers, we are driven by our emotions, to protect ourselves and our loved ones, we hear frightening stories of Coronavirus pathogens, E. coli outbreaks, dangerous other viruses, & drug-resistant germs and we are all purchasing in the hopes that it will keep us and our loved ones safe.
If you have not heard, one of the most controversial topics in Public Health and safety these days is, do these products really work or not"? Is the overuse of antimicrobial ingredients helping to breed super-bugs?
At microPro South Africa, our experience and leading-edge technologies, have taught us that there are some common-sense approaches to be considered. Let's start with an understanding of what are Disinfectants, Antiseptics, and Antimicrobials
Do not get confused by all the names and labels.
An antimicrobial is a general term for any product or ingredient that kills or inhibits bacteria, viruses, or moulds.
Antibacterials are more commonly known to be only effective against bacteria.
Disinfectants are products that kill micro-organisms (usually both bacteria and viruses) on surfaces like countertops, toilet seats, and high-touch points.
Antiseptics are products for use on the skin for cuts or injuries.
microPro South Africa has observed a new trend clearly emerging as numerous companies race against each other, to put antimicrobial ingredients into all sorts of their products that did not previously contain it. It is important to note that 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.
Household brand disinfectants, such as Lysol or chlorine bleach, are considered pesticides and are regulated by the EPA and other regulatory bodies in South Africa such as the CPA (Consumer Protection Act). Registration of these products appears to be beneficial because it ensures that the product actually does what it claims to do (if used properly obviously in the correct dosage).
Key takeaway - an ineffective disinfectant can be dangerous since you cannot tell by looking if it is really working.
Good Bugs, Bad Bugs
Again, our experience at microPro South Africa has taught us, that if we are to make long-term sensible decisions about how we as humans want to “control" micro-organisms, we then need to know much more about them.
Many of our diseases are caused by bacteria and viruses, but in truth, most of the microbes around us are really harmless and numerous are beneficial and even necessary for our well-being. Beneficial microbes are found in the soil release nutrients for plants. Without the useful bacteria in our digestive tract, we wouldn’t have the vitamin K that is needed for our blood to clot and stop bleeding when we are cut. Additionally, without bacteria, we would not have many of the foods we enjoy, such as wine, yogurt, blue cheese, soy sauce, sourdough bread.
Key takeaway, we need to protect the beneficial microbes and kill the bad ones when they threaten to spread disease. 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 so we need to give some thought to our hygiene protocols in our kitchens. Did you know that your kitchen sponges and dishrags are among the most bacteria-laden places in your entire office or home environment? Replace them often, wash them thoroughly and dry them out after use and avoid cross-contamination.
Super Bugs
Read the news, many public-health professionals fear that too much and overuse of antimicrobials, especially in the uncontrolled home environment, may result in germs resistant to these chemicals. Resistance is a serious problem with antibiotics (drugs) that has arisen in part because of the 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.)
Key takeaway, and the concept is really easy to understand. If a product doesn’t kill all the germs, it’s the susceptible ones that get killed first, leaving the hardier and more dangerous ones behind. These can multiply quickly, and eventually, they outnumber the susceptible bugs, leaving us and our homes and workplaces at risk to illness and disease, and of which, our medicines are not working.
Ask yourself, do you really need an antimicrobial?
As consumers, this is the very question we need to ask? There is and never will be such a thing as a “germ-free” office or home. Or put in a different way, you cannot maintain a sterile home or office environment with normal efforts.
Disinfectants will only kill germs on surfaces temporarily but will not provide long-lasting disinfection and protection. There are definitely situations where disinfectants are needed, but many others where they aren’t. For example, using a spray disinfectant as a room deodorizer. It is impossible to disinfectant the air in this way. If you are using it to disguise an odour, better get to the source of what is creating the odour.
It is interesting to note that disinfectants are recommended for cleaning up mould or mildew. Many experts have changed their thinking around this. Take note that bleach requires a long contact time and usually makes the environment wetter, which in our experience can actually encourage mould growth. At microPro South Africa, we believe that the most important thing to do is to find and correct the source of the problem, usually a leak or ventilation problem, and replace damaged materials. When surfaces are kept dry, the mould cannot grow.
Think about it, when might you really need a disinfectant? Perhaps you have special health problems in the home or workplace that involve highly susceptible individuals. You may require cleaning up of a contaminated environment, such as Covid-19 or require cleaning up contaminated material. We highly recommend it in environments where there is no margin for error.
Our Recommendations as an alternative to antimicrobials
We call it a New Generation of Cleaning Products. If you are only using antibacterial products & disinfectants the microbiome in your home or workplace is disrupted and places us and the environment at risk of harmful germs and viruses. This is because antibacterial sanitisers and disinfectants kill both the good and bad bacteria – the Probiotic which is the good bacteria become outnumbered. microPro's product technology is unique in that we propose disinfection and co-infection for enhanced Public Health and Safety. Our probiotic cleaning products contain good bacteria to replace “bad bugs” such as Salmonella, E.coli, Staphylococcus, Clostridium, and numerous others. When cleaning with our Probiotic Cleaners, a layer of probiotic bacteria is placed on the treated surface, immediately occupying the surface with good bacteria. These bacteria will consume all remaining food sources, leaving nothing behind for potential pathogenic invaders looking for space and food. Because the probiotic bacteria remain active for several days, probiotic cleaners have a long-lasting effect and create stability in the microbiological results. Given a minimum frequency of application, the products will replace most pathogenic bacteria with good bacteria, which leads to stable and healthy work or home environment. Because the pathogenic organisms cannot gain resistance to the probiotic cleaner, this provides us with a sustainable solution for cleaning our home and work environments. We are often asked if you need to keep on disinfecting when using our Probiotic Cleaners. The answer is preferably no, the best results are obtained when no disinfection is done anymore. When certain conditions should require disinfection as highlighted above, we advise a probiotic treatment immediately after the disinfection is done in order to stabilize the environmental microbiota. Our Zoono-71 disinfectants provide your home or workplace with efficacy, up to 30 days per treatment, and hence the need to reapply them on a daily or weekly basis is not required, a more sustainable solution for hygienic protection.
Let’s educate ourselves, the worst possible scenario is to have consumers using disinfectants and antimicrobials, firstly when they are not really needed, and secondly using them incorrectly. The marketing of all of our germicidal products can foster a false sense of security amongst us, based on unrealistic expectations, such as thinking that all antibacterials and antimicrobials will work to kill viruses.
We would love to hear from you, comment or drop us an email.
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