With the flu, COVID, norovirus, and RSV all surging, you may be stocking up on disinfecting wipes. Not only do most brands kill 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria, but they make life incredibly easy. Just pull out a wipe, clean a surface, and throw it out—much simpler than using a spray with paper towels or a rag. But the convenience may not be worth it, as doctors and scientists are cautioning about the "significant" health risks of many disinfecting wipes.
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Disinfecting wipes may contain dangerous chemicals.
Arlene Blum, PhD, leads the Green Science Policy Institute and co-authored a peer-reviewed paper in 2023 that studied quaternary ammonium compounds, also known as QACs or "quats." These chemicals are commonly found in cleaning products that say they kill 99.9 percent of germs or use the words "antibacterial" or "antimicrobial."
"We found that they are linked to reproductive, developmental, respiratory and skin harms," Blum wrote in a recent article for Forbes. "A more recent study from Case Western Reserve University found a link to neurological damage. Further, these chemicals can contribute to antimicrobial resistance, making certain bacteria resistant both to the antimicrobials themselves and also to critical antibiotics."
A more recent 2024 review paper looked specifically at the reproductive effects of QACs. The researchers cited an instance that occurred at the University of Washington, where female lab mice had a sudden drop in pregnancies and live births, and male mice had decreased sperm count after moving to a new facility that was cleaned with disinfectants that contained QACs, as Consumer Reports shared.
"The animals that were exposed through regular old disinfection—ambient exposure—had significant effects," Genoa Warner, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of chemistry and environmental science at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a co-author of the 2024 paper, told Consumer Reports.
As The Guardian explained, QACs get into your body through the skin or orally, either by touching a wipe or touching a surface that a wipe's been used on (this is especially problematic for children). If you're using a spray cleaner, QACs "are also known to attach to dust and go airborne," and can therefore be inhaled, they add.
RELATED: Why You Shouldn't Be Cleaning Your Bathroom With Bleach, According to Experts.
Here's how to choose safe cleaning products:
If you're hoping to limit your exposure to QACs, there are a few steps you can take.
In writing for Forbes, Blum said you can usually identify QACs on an ingredient label as anything that ends with "ammonium chloride" or similar phrasing.
Next, Consumer Reports recommends searching the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) list of products that meet their Safer Choice Standard.
Two common cleaning wipes on the EPA's list are Clorox Free & Clear Wipes and Seventh Generation Multi-Purpose Cleaning Wipes. However, neither of these wipes claims to kill germs or viruses. Instead, they're marketed to cut grease and grime.
Lastly, a 2019 study on the safety of surface disinfection in child care found that peroxide-based cleaning products "have less potential for respiratory toxicity than bleach or quats."
You may not need disinfecting wipes at all.
Or, you may not need to use disinfecting wipes at all. Both the EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise that cleaning with regular non-antibacterial soap and water is enough to reduce the risk of getting sick in most cases.
"In other words, soap works by removing rather than killing germs," explains Blum. "Disinfecting refers to the process of killing germs, wiping out both good and bad microbes."
However, some instances do require disinfecting.
"In addition to cleaning, disinfect your home when someone is sick or if someone is at a higher risk of getting sick due to a weakened immune system," advises the CDC. This may include if someone in your household has norovirus or the flu.
