5 antibacterial products you need to ban now
Have you heard of the term “multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria”? If you haven’t you may have heard of their other name, superbugs. These less-than-friendly bacteria are an active threat to our health and wellness with government health organisations working to keep them under control and prevent a return to a time when bugs ruled the world (and our health and life expectancy!). One of the primary causes of the rise of the superbug is our over reliance on antibacterial products which are causing the bugs to mutate and become resistant to antibiotics. Hand sanitizer, soap and cleaning products are the primary culprits for containing antibacterial components. If you’ve got any of the following lying around the house, it’s best to bin them right away.
- Toothpaste and mouthwash – Mouth wash and toothpaste that uses antibacterial ingredients, like triclosan, can contribute to antibiotic resistance and some research points to the ingredient being dangerous for our health in general.
- Antibacterial hand soap – Another key location for antibacterial ingredients including triclosan. Recent research has actually found that for despite the big claims made by manufacturers, antibacterial soaps are no more effective than regular soap and water and can often be more damaging to your skin.
- Cleaning products – Surface sprays and other detergents can all contain antibacterial ingredients with the majority of marketing materials using this as a key selling point. In more recent times, many manufacturers have switched to using natural antimicrobials like lactic acid or ethanol which don’t contribute to antibiotic resistance. Always check the label before purchasing to see what you’re buying.
- Antibacterial garbage bags – A new product to the market, antibacterial garbage bags are capitalising on our germ phobia. Scientists all agree that impregnating plastic with dangerous antibacterial substances is ridiculous at best and insane at worst. Avoid at all costs.
- Hand sanitiser – The best friend of parents everywhere, hand sanitizer is another product with the potential for harm. Alcohol based products are completely safe as they kill bacteria on contact without contributing to any resistance. Hand sanitisers that contain less than 60 per cent ethanol and other ingredients however are another story and should be avoided.
Has this knowledge made you re-consider your choice of antibacterial products? Let us know in the comment section below.
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