It smells good, but is it clean? The importance of effective sanitisation
Just because something smells good doesn’t guarantee that it’s really clean.
The pleasant smell can be the result of fragrances added to cleaning products that mask unpleasant odours without eliminating dirt or germs.
Here are some important points to consider:
- Fragrances in Cleaning Products:
Many cleaning products contain fragrances that can give the impression that an environment is clean, even if it hasn’t been thoroughly sanitised.
These products can mask odours without necessarily removing bacteria, viruses or dirt.
- Cleaning vs. disinfecting:
Cleaning involves removing dirt and debris, while disinfecting involves killing germs. An environment can look and “smell clean” without being disinfected.
To ensure complete sanitisation, it is important to use suitable disinfectants in addition to cleaning products.
- Indicators of Effective Cleaning:
In addition to odour, other indicators of effective cleaning include the absence of visible stains, non-sticky surfaces and a general feeling of freshness in the room.
Cleaning should include removing dirt and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces to reduce the spread of germs.
- Health Concerns:
Some scented cleaning products may contain volatile compounds that are irritating to the respiratory tract or skin, especially in people with sensitivities or allergies.
One of the key aspects of allergies is the fact that up to 18% of the population is allergic to fragrances and 1-2% can even develop severe symptoms that require medical intervention.
Hypersensitivity to fragrances usually occurs in the form of allergic contact dermatitis, contact urticaria and phototoxic reactions. These alterations can occur in various areas of the body, including the face, neck, armpits or hands. Just like food allergies, it’s important to know the composition of fragrance products very well, but unlike food allergies, it’s not always possible to access this information.
In short, a pleasant smell can be misleading and should not be the criterion for determining whether an environment is clean.
The addition of perfumes and flavours to cleaning products has much more to do with marketing issues and the sensory association between the smell and the product itself, and this effect depends on cultural conditioning issues.
Most bad odours come from microbial activity, and perfumes are often used to disguise these odours rather than eliminate their source.
Grupo Extermínio has a wide range of professional cleaning products from its registered brandBiosoluções® and hygiene systems suitable for all professional and domestic tasks.
Among our options, 4 of them are Concentrates for Housekeeping and Kitchen, registered in accordance with the standards laid down by the competent official bodies, such as the Directorate-General for Health (DGS), the Antivenom Information Centre (CIAV) and the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary (DGAV).
Discover our sustainable solutions for industrial and domestic use.
Optimising cleaning is sustainable!
Biosoluções® encourages the use of concentrated cleaning products and the reuse of packaging in order to maintain and preserve nature.
We also offer various training programmes that will guarantee the commitment of your team.
Get in touch with us, we’ll carry out a free diagnosis of your needs and present you with a proposal tailored to your requirements, commitment free.
