How harmful is disinfectant?

Since Corona has the world under control, the need for high-quality disinfectants has been particularly high. But worries keep coming up: are disinfectants harmful? And if so, in what way and to what extent? We have compiled all the information for you.

Hazards from disinfectants

In fact, some scientists warn against the heavy and excessive use of disinfectants. After all, an effective disinfectant must contain strong cleaning substances, which, however, can attack not only the skin but also the respiratory tract. Basically, it always comes down to quantity. She decides how harmful disinfectant can be - or not.

○ Dry skin

In most cases, alcohol is the cleaner in a disinfectant. However, ethanol or isopropanol dry out the skin, attack the skin's natural protective acid layer and can thus cause cracks and skin damage. This makes the skin more vulnerable and a weaker target for pathogens.

○ Irritated airways

Sprays and disinfectants for surfaces are primarily responsible for irritated airways. These often contain organic solvents that emit unpleasant or even harmful fumes. In extreme cases, these disinfectants can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and asthma. The risk is particularly high for people who work in the medical field. But private individuals should also be careful not to constantly expose themselves to the vapors of disinfectant sprays and surface cleaning agents.

○ Irritated mucous membranes

Your respiratory system and the body's defense mechanisms also include mucous membranes. Excessive use of disinfectants can cause the mucous membranes in the mouth, nose and eyes to show a burning sensation in the throat, irritation of the throat or reddening. It can also cause a dry throat.

packaging markings

The following pictograms and labels can be found on disinfectants:

According to the sentences on the hazardous material data and hazard warnings a disinfectant with this pictogram may be “highly flammable” (H225) so should be kept away from heat and open flames.

The signal with the red frame and the black exclamation mark indicates that the product can cause serious eye irritation according to H319 and that if used incorrectly, drowsiness and dizziness can sometimes occur (H336).

Disinfection, spectrum of activity and effect on virus species

There is a spectrum of effectiveness for the various disinfectants. Not every disinfectant works against every virus, which is why it is important to pay attention to the correct name - depending on the purpose.

○ limited virucidal

A limited virucidal disinfectant is effective against enveloped viruses. The novel coronavirus is just as much a part of this as hepatitis B and C, mumps, measles, Zika and influenza viruses.

○ limited virucidal plus

In addition to the viruses that can be killed by the limited virucidal disinfectant, a limited virucidal Plus disinfectant can also be used to render noro, rota and adenoviruses harmless.

○ viruzid

A virucidal disinfection kills not only enveloped but also non-enveloped viruses. If you want to be on the safe side, look out for a virucidal disinfectant.

With disinfectants against viruses, a high alcohol content is ideal in order to be able to protect yourself from the pathogens in the best possible way and to achieve perfect cleaning. If you disinfect specifically, this can cause dry hands, but does not damage the skin permanently. As harmful disinfectant depends on the existing health of the skin, but also on the frequency with which the skin is treated with the appropriate agent.

Which disinfectants fight Corona?

Protection against infection with the novel corona virus is currently the top priority for many people. Therefore, if you want to buy a disinfectant, you should make sure that the disinfectant has limited virucidal activity, since the coronavirus is an enveloped virus. Attention: if the antibacterial label can be found on the disinfectant, that is not enough to kill the new type of corona virus.

Hand sanitizers often contain harmful substances

If you want to protect your skin, you can make sure to choose a product with ethanol when buying a disinfectant. Because this alcohol is much less harmful than isopropanol, the cleaning effect is just as good. With a fatty cream you can also counteract any dehydration.

Is disinfectant harmful to children?

Regular and thorough hand washing is particularly recommended for children. There are no special disinfectants for children yet. In principle, children can use disinfectants, but small children in particular should only do so under supervision, and schoolchildren should learn how to use them properly. The alcohol contained in disinfectants can become dangerous for children if they lick their fingers, for example. In the worst case, there is a risk of poisoning. You should therefore be particularly careful when you help your children to clean their hands - and if in doubt, wash your hands beforehand.

Which harmless disinfectant against Corona?

If you want to protect yourself against an infection with the new corona virus and also enjoy care and fragrance, we would like to recommend the Wiesenberg disinfectant to you. We have put all our know-how into developing the ideal product for you. The result is a disinfectant that convinces with a fresh scent and an exclusive care ingredient. Try it out!