To Disinfect or Not - That is the Question (+ a Safer Alternative)

As a Shaklee distributor, one of the questions I get asked most often is the one about disinfecting.  It comes in many forms:

• Do natural cleaners kill germs?
• Why should I ditch my regular disinfectant?
• What happens when a stomach bug hits my household?  How do I clean the house or the laundry? 
• How do I clean my countertops safely after handling meat?  

And, as a mother and clean-freak, I can tell you that I hear you.  Loud and clear.  Because I've asked those same questions myself.  

The Dirt on Disinfectant Cleaners

Disinfectant cleaners came on the market after WW2.  They were primarily used to sterilize medical tools for treating wounded soldiers during both wars.  When these chemical-producing companies realized how powerful (and profitable) these products were - and they no longer had war-based clients to sell to - they began advertising to the average household consumer.

They essentially brainwashed stay-at-home moms to believe that their natural cleaning methods weren't cleaning well enough.  And, so an at-home disinfecting business was born.  And, it boomed.

Over the years, the ads have changed, but the message is the same: sterilize your home for healthy living.

Who wouldn't buy into that?

My grandmothers did.

My mother certainly did.

My aunts, their friends, their neighbours.

Everyone believed they needed to kill germs dead, and that only bleach-like products would do the trick.  Heck, they smell strong enough to kill a dinosaur, why wouldn't they work on grimy germs and bacteria?  (Yes, I'm fully aware that dinosaurs are already dead).

It wasn't until some skeptics started looking into these man-made products that the truth began to rise to the surface. 

Most disinfectants on the market are chemical-laden.

Which means they're toxic.

Which means you don't want them in your house and you certainly don't want them around your family.

I could go into detail about what's in these products and their effects on your body, but Women's Voices for the Earth does a superb job of delineating all of this for you.  They published an excellent PDF (Disinfectant Overkill) that you absolutely must read if you have ever debated the use of disinfectants versus natural cleaners.  You can find the link in the resources below.

Is it Necessary to Disinfect Our Homes?

The answer is no.

Our homes are not raging with a huge amount of traffic like public places are.  That means, the variety of viruses spreading in our home is minute.  A safe all-purpose cleaner, like Shaklee's Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate, does the job effectively. 

The reason we don't want to over-clean is that we, first of all, need our bodies to recognize micro-organisms in order to build a defense against them.  We have all heard about the superbug phenomenon and we don't want that kind of thing happening because our cleaners have destroyed every last organism known to man (or dinosaurs!)  A strain of bacteria will eventually become resistant to the cleaning agent, and it can mutate. It will become a huge problem if you're going to need antibiotics to ward off the bacterial infection since the bacteria is no longer recognizable by the meds, as well as your body's natural defense system.

In short, disinfecting a home can cause bigger problems over time than those little germs can cause right now.

Does that mean your house is disgusting and no one should ever visit for fear of picking up germs there?

No.  On the contrary.

Using a cleaning agent like that found in Shaklee's Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate, you are cleaning effectively without ridding of all the microbes and without leaving behind chemical residue (which is a another concern larger than germs!)  Remember, we want to keep some of those buggers laying around so your body can absorb them, fight them off naturally, and then, recognize them when they come around again.  It's the only way your body can truly destroy them the next time it sees them.

How Can I Kill Household Germs Dead Without Toxins?

There are times when you just have to help mother nature get rid of yuckies in your home. For instance, after something like a stomach bug or a flu.  You want to clean your home fairly well in those cases so as not to keep spreading the virus repeatedly and to visitors as well.  But, you don't have to use harsh chemicals to have the same effectiveness.

You can bet that Shaklee has the solution for you.

Shaklee's Basic G

Shaklee's Basic G is a concentrate that needs to be diluted with water.  You save lots of $$ because you don't pay for water that is normally added to cleaning agents.

Let me introduce you to Shaklee's Basic G.

G stands for germicide, so, yes, this is a disinfectant cleaner.

Only, this one is different from everything else out there on the market.

Here is what you should know about Basic G (from Shaklee's website):

• This powerful cleaner fights bacteria and mildew without the use of phosphates, nitrates, or borates. It’s what every school, daycare centre, office building, commercial and industrial institution, hotel and motel, and household needs. 
• Basic-G disinfects, cleans, and deodorizes hard non-porous inanimate surfaces including floors, walls, metal surfaces, stainless steel surfaces, glazed porcelain, and plastic surfaces (such as polypropylene, polystyrene, etc.). 
• You can also use Basic-G on mildew stains in damp areas such as bathrooms, showers, kitchens, basements, and laundry rooms. 
• When used as directed, Basic-G kills a variety of bacteria, fungi, and viruses and inhibits the growth of mould and mildew.

I place Basic G in a spray bottle for easy cleaning. Here in Canada, we don't have the designated Basic G spray bottle, so I used the general purpose one and labeled it "Basic G".  However, it is available in the USA.

Basic G:

• is nonflammable
• is environmentally safe
• contains no harmful fumes
• is pH balanced
• ounce per ounce, it costs less than regular chemical store brands
• kills 99% of all bacteria and viruses (including salmonella, e-coli, rabies, strep, athlete's foot and more)
• is safe around children and pets, around those with compromised immune systems and breathing difficulties (like asthma)
• does not require rinsing unless using in a food-prep area or on something that could be placed in the mouth (children's toys, for instance)

Basic G can be used:

• to clean the bathroom
• to clean your kitchen area
• as a drain cleaner
• as a diaper disinfectant (also can be added to laundry if you're washing gastro-infested yuckiness)
• to clean filters and humidifiers
• as a floor cleaner
• in pet areas
• as a room deodorizer
• to clean diaper pails, garbage pails and litter boxes
• to disinfect swimming pool decks
• as a grout and tile cleaner

How is this disinfectant different from the harmful ones?

Basic G is a concentrate, similar to Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate.  This means that the active agent (which does need to be handled carefully as it's corrosive) needs to be diluted with water before use.  Once diluted, this product is completely safe for you and for the environment.

And, unlike chlorine bleach, this product continues to safely disinfect for up to 3 days after use (whereas bleach only does so for 1 hour after use).  You're clearly getting a powerful product that you can trust to be safely used in your home.

You can use this product daily or weekly, but I use this product sparingly.  As I described above, I don't want a sterile home, just a clean one. So, that one-time use on doorknobs and bathrooms after a nasty virus is enough.

Bonus Disinfectant Tip:

You can also use your natural household cleaner and add essential oils to disinfect.  Tea tree oil is a great one to use.

Do you use disinfectants?  Anti-bacterials? Were you previously aware of their dangers?


Resources for you:

Disinfectant Overkill (an excellent, must-read PDF Fact Sheet by Women's Voices for the Earth, 2010)
Disinfectants Horror Show (short video by Women's Voices for the Earth)
Shaklee's Basic G (link to Shaklee shop)
Shaklee's Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate (link to Shaklee shop)
Shaklee's spray bottles (link to Shaklee shop)
Green Goes with Everything (link to book in my Amazon shop - explains EVERYTHING you need to know about living green and safely)

Related articles on this blog:

How One Cleaner Saves You Money (all about Basic H2)
How Much Do You Spend on Your Cleaners? (cost-comparison of cleaners and how much you save with Basic H2)
When the Dust Settles (using Basic H2 for dusting) 
A Brighter Outlook (using Basic H2 for windows)
I Can See Clearly Now (using Basic H2 for eyeglasses)
A Match Made in Heaven: The Marriage of an Eco-Cleaner and a Mop (using Basic H2 for your floors)
The Truth About Chemical Cleaners and Asthma
How to Make a Natural Cleaner Your Own (adding essential oils to a natural cleaner)