Inhaled disinfectant - what to do?

Disinfectants are now in the air almost everywhere. It’s not just the hospital that smells of aggressive cleaning agents and clinical hand sanitizer. Since the beginning of the corona pandemic, there have also been dispensers with disinfectants in supermarkets and public buildings to help carry out precise hand hygiene. But what happens if I inhale disinfectant? What harm can inhalation of disinfectants cause? We at Wiesenberg have compiled an overview for you.

How harmful is disinfectant?

Of course, conventional disinfectants are not necessarily an olfactory experience. The extreme smell of alcohol is somewhat unpleasant, but important. This is because the active ingredient in many disinfectants is ethanol or isopropanol. When used excessively, these active ingredients mainly irritate the skin and damage the natural acid mantle, which can cause the hands to become dry and chapped. More harmful than hand disinfectants, however, are surface disinfectants whose effectiveness against bacteria, fungi and viruses is ensured by active ingredients such as aldehydes or hydrogen peroxide. Employees in occupations where surface disinfection must be performed on a regular basis should be especially careful to ventilate thoroughly after cleaning to reduce fumes.

What should I do if I have inhaled disinfectant?

Inhaling disinfectant once should not be a concern for you, as it is not toxic. Only regular inhalation of vapors from surface disinfectants or industrial cleaners can cause respiratory problems in the long term, which is why care is advised in relevant contexts – i.e. hospitals, industry, general practitioners’ offices, etc. But of course, inhaling disinfectants is not exactly pleasant. Here’s what you can do then:

Mouth wash out

To get rid of the “taste” first and prevent ingredients from entering the organism, you should first thoroughly rinse your mouth with water. If you feel like it, you can also brush your teeth and use mouthwash. And after that…

Wait and see

…you should wait and see. If you feel nauseous or vomit, you should see a doctor to clarify the symptoms.

Inhaled disinfectant – Pregnancy

Of course, during pregnancy most thoughts are with the unborn darling. And logically, there is also the question of whether the use of disinfectants during pregnancy or the inhalation of disinfectants can pose a risk to the baby. Finally, in Corona times, infection with the new type of virus is a risk that can be reduced with the help of hand sanitizers…

Is it dangerous for the baby?

In fact, inhalation of disinfectants is not dangerous for the baby. Thorough cleaning with antivirulent cleaning agents is therefore possible, but you should still ventilate for the sake of your respiratory tract. Your baby will be fine, though, as long as you don’t drink the disinfectant. Exposure from inhalation of disinfectants is too low to really affect the unborn.

Hand disinfectants usually not dangerous

Of course, conscious use of disinfectants is important. For example, if your hands are visibly dirty, you should wash them with soap rather than disinfect them to protect the skin’s protective acid mantle. The alcohol contained in disinfectants also removes fat from the skin, which causes the feeling of dryness. We set to work and developed a disinfectant that does not dry out the hands and even comes with a fresh citrus scent around the corner. Our exclusive care ingredient also gives your hands a silky skin feeling. You want to know more? Then check out our disinfectant store.