Why Does Disinfecting to Avoid Getting Sick Actually Make You Sicker?

The importance of disinfection has been emphasized after the COVID-19 pandemic. Regular disinfection can eliminate viruses and reduce the risk of infection. However, it is also true that the more we use disinfectants containing various chemical substances, the more frequently we are exposed to them. But is it true that indiscriminate use of disinfectants can lead to resistance?

The Difference Between Sterilization and Disinfection

Sterilization and disinfection both mean “killing germs,” but there is a slight difference. When bacteria find it hard to survive, they form spores and spore sacs within themselves. When the bacteria die, only the spore sacs remain. Disinfection kills bacteria but does not eliminate spores, while sterilization eradicates pathogens and spores. The hand sanitizers we commonly discuss are products that focus on disinfection, not sterilization.

The Importance of Disinfection Due to Corona

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, you can easily find hand sanitizers everywhere. People have been living by frequently disinfecting their hands and wiping objects around them. However, as we recover our daily lives, questions are being raised about the need for excessive disinfection as before.

Antibiotic Resistance Can Occur

Frequent use of disinfectants can lead to bacteria developing resistance to antibiotics. Microorganisms devise survival strategies, including developing disinfectant resistance, surviving, and multiplying. Once such resistance develops, it becomes impossible to eliminate bacteria using disinfectants, and increasingly potent disinfectants must be employed to see any effect.

It’s Okay to Use it Frequently in Special Cases

For example, if a patient with Norovirus is at home, it is necessary to clean it with disinfectants. However, cleaning with a vacuum cleaner or wet mop is usually sufficient, and opening windows frequently for ventilation can provide adequate protection against infectious diseases.

Outdoor Disinfection Has Minimal Effect

Outdoor disinfection has a minimal disinfection effect, and the ingredients of the disinfectant can spread around and threaten the environment and the human body. It’s true that when the coronavirus was rampant, people were sensitive and disinfected frequently indoors and outdoors. However, using large amounts of disinfectant in outdoor spaces can increase resistant species and other negative impacts.

It Can Kill Bacteria But Also Help Bacterial Absorption

Disinfectants and antibiotics both work toward killing bacteria, so you might think that using them together can expect a synergistic effect. However, a research team in Australia has found that the chemical components of disinfectants interfere with the action of antibiotics, helping the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Over time, as the concentration decreases, instead of killing bacteria, it hinders bacteria absorption by antibiotics, thereby assisting bacteria. Remember, if you want to eliminate bacteria and overuse chemical substances, it’s worse than not using them!

Hand Washing is More Effective Than Hand Sanitizer

While hand sanitizers temporarily affect viruses, experts advise that washing hands with soap and water is much more effective than relying on hand sanitizers. Hand sanitizers should be used appropriately when it’s impossible to wash hands, and when you go out or return home, you should always wash your hands thoroughly with soap or a cleanser for 30 seconds.

Disinfectant Performance is Unrelated to Price

Unless it’s a strong detergent, the overall performance of a disinfectant has little to do with its selling price. You might think that the more expensive it is, the better it disinfects, but that’s not the case at all, and dividing premium and high-end products is meaningless. It is advisable to examine the types and concentrations of active components in disinfectants, accurately understand the characteristics of sterilizing disinfectants, and use them safely.

Check if it’s a Government-Approved Disinfectant

Choose a disinfectant that received government approval and permission for its intended use and use it minimally, following usage instructions and precautions only where disinfection is necessary. The list of products that received approval and reports from the Ministry of Environment can be found in the “Chorongnuri” notices. Even if it’s an approved product, most are surface disinfectants, so they should not be used in the air, on dishes, etc., and should not come into direct contact with the body.

Effective Use of Disinfectants

When using disinfectants, you should not use them excessively, refrain from disinfecting spaces, and it is best to disinfect by wiping down objects and floors that are frequently touched. Oil or organic substances on the surface can react with the disinfectant and reduce its effect, so you should remove dust and foreign substances with a detergent before disinfecting to see the disinfection effect with the appropriate amount. After disinfection, wiping off the remaining disinfectant with a towel soaked in clean water is better.

By. Shin Young Jeon