IS DETTOL THE BEST OPTION?

When you think of antiseptic, the first word that comes to mind is Dettol. It’s our go-to solution for cleaning and getting rid of germs. Naturally, we often use Dettol liquid as a floor cleaner because of our deep-seated trust in the brand. But is it the right thing to do? We will explore this question in depth in this post.

What are the two things you want from your floor cleaner?

First, get the grime and dust off.

Second, provide some level of germ protection.

Cleaning

If your home is anything like millions of homes in India, we often add a cap full of Dettol to the mopping bucket and viola our floor cleaner is ready.

But did you know that Dettol does not have surfactants, or cleaning agents?

A surfactant is a chemical that lowers the surface tension of a liquid. This helps in easy formation of bubbles and better soaking. Through these actions surfactants are able to attract the dirt and remove it from the surface on which they are applied better it be our hands, our clothes or the floor.

Since Dettol doesn't have surfactants, its solution in water doesn't have any impact on dust, grime and grease on the floor. Still see the coffee stains from last evening on the floor? That’s probably why!

Germ-protection

Dettol uses phenol chloroxylenol as an active ingredient. It is commonly used for disinfection purposes and hence provides protection from germs. It is a toxic compound that has severe negative health implications ranging from kidney failure to respiratory distress if ingested.

This ingredient can turn your favourite solution into a real health risk. You’d think that’s no reason to worry because everyone knows Dettol isn’t to be consumed. But there are other ways it can end up being ingested.

If you think about it, the floor is probably where your pets and babies love to hang out for the most part. It’s where they play, snooze and quickly gobble up that piece of forbidden food that was dropped there. So whatever chemicals are on your floor can easily come in contact with your pets and babies.

If you’re using it as a floor cleaner or to clean surfaces and toys, it can be licked by your pets. This is particularly dangerous for cats because of their internal make-up – their bodies cannot get rid of ingested toxins.

Besides, babies and pets put all their toys in their mouths all the time. So cleaning their toys with Dettol is also a big no-no.

There is a wide range of other issues that phenol chloroxylenol can cause, like skin irritation (rash, stinging, burning), hives, itching, and inflammation.

Some of it is rarer but very possible and severe side-effects include anaphylaxis, skin discoloration, abnormal heart function, dizziness, and long-term heart and lung disorders.

Because very little is known about this, watch out for symptoms the next time you use it and switch to a safer option if something flares up.

Natural and Safer Alternatives

There are plenty of natural, pet-friendly and kid-safe cleaners available for cleaning your floors and surfaces. They harness the power of nature by using plant-derived ingredients that work well and are extremely safe at the same time.

Koparo's Floor Cleaner uses surfactants derived from coconut and sugarcane that ensure that it is highly effective on dust and grime. For germ protection there is added tea tree essential oil and lemongrass oil —nature's very own anti-bacterial and anti-viral agents. It doesn't have any other harmful chemicals, so no Phosphates, Chlorine, Ammonia, EDTA or Parabens.

What's more? By being natural, these cleaners are great for the environment as well. They can easily decompose and mix with nature without causing any discomfort to other organisms.

Takeaway

It is possible that we’re used to that unique smell of Dettol, which convinces us that the floor is clean. Now that we know better, we can use naturally derived cleaners specifically meant for floors so that they are actually clean without the toxic side effects. There is an added benefit of using Koparo's Floor Cleaner. Jasmine & Rose fragrance will ensure your floors and home smell delightful.