Do You Need To Use Antibacterial Cleaner?

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people all across the globe started using powerful disinfectants and antibacterial cleaners to keep them safe from germs and viruses. But according to reports, antibacterial cleaners are no better than normal soap and water at killing germs and can even kill the good bacteria in your environment. But many products are still classified as antibacterial solutions and are used widely across households. Before you start cleaning with these antibacterial products or ask your end of lease cleaning services in Adelaide to use the same, you must see what these antibacterial cleaners are. You can then decide if they are effective and whether you need to use them in your home.

What Are Antibacterial Cleaners

Antibacterial cleaners are agents that interfere with the growth and multiplication of bacteria. These agents potentially disinfect surfaces and remove harmful bacteria and are divided into two categories: residual cleaners and non-residual cleaners. Non-residual cleaners include disinfectants like chlorine, peroxides and alcohol that do not leave any residue. But recently, there has been a rise of residual antibacterial cleaners like triclosan that prolong the effect of the product and leave a residue. Even though this is meant to protect us from harmful bacteria, triclosan causes many health hazards, such as obesity, infertility, allergies and early puberty and also harms the environment.

What Products Contain Antibacterial Substances

Now that you know what antibacterial cleaners are, here is a list of household products that contain these agents:

Disinfectants

Soaps and detergents

Hand lotions

Window cleaners

Toothpaste

Cleaning cloths

Surface wipes

Textiles

Garbage bags

Since antibacterial agents are used in a wide variety of products in your home, including cleaning products, it is important to understand their effects.

Effects Of Antibacterial Products

1. Creates Multi-Resistant Strains of Bacteria End of lease cleaners in Adelaide advise against using and overusing antibacterial products like disinfectants as they can create strains of bacteria that are resistant to infections. This is because antibacterial agents do not kill all the bacteria on your surfaces. The ones that survive grow and spread rapidly and become resistant to disinfectants and cleaners. These bacteria strains increase the risk of infections and allergies and make common diseases more harmful. Besides using antibacterial products and overusing disinfectants, here are other disinfecting steps you are probably doing wrong. 2. Poses A Threat To The Environment Antibacterial products are now being made with harmful chemical agents like triclosan that leave a residue in the environment. This harmful agent is a health hazard to the environment as it pollutes the air and creates antimicrobial-resistant bacteria that spread infections. The World Health Organisation has already classified antimicrobial resistance as a major human and animal health threat. To combat this, the Australian government has started the first national antimicrobial resistance policy with guidelines for the public. 3. Kills The Good Bacteria Our body and environment contain many good bacteria that benefit us. These good bacteria protect us from the bad bacteria that cause infections and allergies and maintain the balance. But when you use antibacterial cleaners, this balance is disrupted as these cleaners also remove some of the good bacteria. Thus, you are more likely to fall sick and get infected as you are exposed to more harmful bacteria. 4. Increases the Risk of Allergies The overuse of antibacterial and antimicrobial products as cleaners and disinfectants can increase the risk of allergies like hay fever and asthma. This is because your antibacterial cleaners kill the microbes that regulate the immune system and thus increase your chances of falling sick and catching allergies. You can use these tips to clean and sanitise your home properly after an illness to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and germs. 5. Do Not Protect Against Viruses Antibacterial cleaners are effective against some bacteria but do not kill viruses that cause colds and sicknesses like the COVID-19 pandemic. End of lease cleaners in Adelaide recommend that to combat viruses, you wash your hands and clean all your surfaces with green cleaners like vinegar and baking soda to keep your home free from viruses. Looking at the negative effects of antibacterial cleaners, it is better to opt for healthier alternatives such as the following.

Substitutes For Antibacterial Cleaners 

Professional end of lease cleaners in Adelaide suggests that you avoid antibacterial cleaners and opt for green and healthy alternatives, such as: 1. Detergent Detergent is just as effective with warm water at killing bacteria as antibacterial agents. 2. Vinegar The acetic acid in white vinegar lifts and removes bacteria, and you can also use it as a disinfectant. Vinegar is also one of the three natural products that you can clean your home with. 3. Baking Soda The alkaline base in baking soda is powerful enough to remove and kill bacteria and germs, and you can use it in combination with white vinegar to kill even the toughest germs in your home. 4. Hydrogen Peroxide The 3% variety of hydrogen peroxide is effective at destroying harmful bacteria and can disinfect the surfaces in your household. Besides using these green cleaners, here are some helpful tips to reduce the effects of bad bacteria:

Reduce The Effects Of Bad Bacteria

Keep food cold below 5 degrees Celsius and hot food above 60 degrees Celsius to prevent bacteria.

Wash your hands with soap and water after touching raw food.

Clean your kitchen and toilet with green cleaners regularly, or hire end of lease cleaners in Adelaide.

Separate raw and cooked food in your fridge.

Here are also some effective tips to help you sanitise your home to keep it free from germs and bacteria.

Conclusion

Thus, antibacterial cleaners are unnecessary as they kill almost the same number of bacteria as soap and detergent. You can easily replace these antibacterial cleaners with green cleaning solutions that remove only harmful bacteria and protect you from infections and allergies.