If you happen to have a bottle of Pine-Sol all-purpose cleaner among your cleaning supplies, it might be time to throw it out.
According to a recent recall issued in Canada and the U.S., that bottle of cleaning liquid might be tainted with a bacteria that could cause serious illness in those with compromised immune systems.
The Clorox Company announced Tuesday that it was recalling its scented multi-surface and all-purpose cleaners, though the original pine-scented Pine-Sol, which is the only product registered as a disinfectant, wasn’t included in the recall.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found that the affected cleaning supplies “may contain bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an environmental organism found widely in soil and water,” according to a statement.
“People with weakened immune systems or external medical devices who are exposed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa face a risk of serious infection that may require medical treatment,” the commission said. “People with healthy immune systems are usually not affected by the bacteria.”
The agency warns that the bacteria can be inhaled, or can enter the body through the eyes or breaks in the skin.
The CDC estimated that in 2017, about 2,700 people in the U.S. died due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections — though, typically, serious infections occur in hospital settings where antibiotic-resistance strains of the bacteria can latch onto medical equipment.
According to WebMD, “If you’re in good health, you could come into contact with pseudomonas and not get sick. Other people only get a mild skin rash or an ear or eye infection.”
The full list of recalled Clorox products includes:
- Pine-Sol Scented Multi-Surface Cleaners in Lavender Clean, Sparking Wave, Lemon Fresh and Mandarin Sunrise scents
- CloroxPro Pine-Sol All Purpose Cleaners in Lavender Clean, Sparking Wave, Lemon Fresh and Orange Energy scents
- Clorox Professional Pine-Sol Lemon Fresh Cleaners
The Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner in Spring Blossom and Rainforest Dew scents, which are sold in Canada, have not been recalled and are safe to use, Clorox said.
Consumers have been advised to throw away the recalled products and contact Clorox for a refund.
Only products with date codes that begin with “A4” and are lower than 222490000 have been recalled, the California-based company said. Instructions on how to locate the date code and UPC can be found on Clorox’s recall website.
Clorox tells consumers to take a picture of the date code and contact the company toll-free at 855-378-4982, Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, for a full refund.
As of Wednesday, Clorox said it has not received any reports of illness in Canada due to the recalled products. It said that approximately 7.6 million units of affected cleaning supplies were sold in Canada.
The affected products were sold between January 2021 and September 2022 and were manufactured in the U.S. at its Forest Park, Ga., facility.
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