If you are a parent you have been on the receiving end of the yearly classroom supply list requested at the beginning of each school year! Well, this year my I noticed that my daughters list included Disinfecting Wipes. I got to wondering why each classroom would need nearly twenty canisters of disinfecting wipes so I wrote an email to the teacher inquiring about how the wipes would be used and if I could supply the classroom with a natural based wipe instead. I had assumed they would be used in the event of a flu outbreak or rare vomiting situation.

Well, to my surprise, she responded that she has each of her students wipe down their own desks at the end of each day. Now don’t get me wrong I think it is a great thing to teach students how to clean up after themselves but there are strong warning labels on these products for a reason! Even as an adult you are supposed to wash your hands after use and rinse the area after a certain period of time. After doing some additional research I just wasn’t comfortable with my daughter being around this product on a daily basis and requested that a natural spray be used in its place. Thankfully her teacher agreed and they have been using a plant based, natural cleaning spray ever since!

Before I get into additional details, I wanted to highlight a product that I am sending in to be used in my daughters classroom. Annie’s Pure and Simple is a locally owned business that creates all-natural cleaning products that are safe for children to use. They are made with vinegar, essential oils and distilled water. It is the perfect product for anyone who is intimidated by making their own cleaning products or just wants to take the easy route. Check them out at anniespureandsimple.com. You can pick their products up in many New England stores or order online with free shipping on orders over $20! (this post is not sponsored, I just really like their products and want to share with you all!)  

When I first received the teachers email I went into research mode and what I found was that even mainstream information suggested that this was an unsafe practice. I contacted Clorox who responded by saying “No, we do not recommend that kids use the Clorox Disinfectant Wipes. Our product label says Caution: Keep out of reach children.”. I also contacted the Department of Public Health who said they recommend that “green” (I use quotes on green because I would consider them greenwashed products) products be used in schools and that children should no longer be exposed to harsh cleaning products. 

According to the Healthyschools.org website they claim that:

“Many popular wipes contain toxic chemicals that can cause immediate acute side effects such as skinand eye irritation, as well as contribute to chronic and long-term conditions.

Disinfecting wipes contain active ingredients that have been found to cause: Asthma (e.g., chlorine bleach/sodium hypochlorite, peroxyacetic acid, quats.) Cancer (e.g., ortho-phenylphenol) Skin sensitization (e.g., chlorine bleach, pine oil, thymol).

Disinfecting chemicals often contain a class of substances called quaternary ammonium compoundsor “quats”. These chemicals are skin irritants, can irritate your lungs, and have been linked to asthma and reproductive harm.

The overuse of antibacterial cleaners can promote antibacterial-resistant bacteria, aka “super-bugs.”

With all that said I would suggest looking into what is being used at your child’s school and even what you are using in your own home. Even some of the so called green products out there use harmful ingredients. I do not buy into the fear mongering but there is mounting evidence that many of the products that we are using on a daily basis are contributing to health issues especially for our children who are much more susceptible due to the fact that they are still developing. There is a time and place for disinfecting but daily use by and around our children is certainly not one of them. As always I suggest that you do your own research! 

Wishing you health and happiness,

Kaitlyn McCarthy

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