Unsafe use of cleaners and disinfectants

Out of 500 U.S. adults who responded to a CDC survey in May, 39% said they utilized high-risk practices to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Such practices included washing food with bleach (19%), using household cleaners or disinfectants on bare skin (18%), misting their bodies with disinfecting sprays (10%), intentionally inhaling vapors from cleaners or disinfectants (6%), and drinking or gargling diluted bleach, soapy water, or other solutions (4% each). Respondents who engaged in at least one of these high-risk practices had higher rates of adverse health effects (e.g., nose, skin, or eye irritation; nausea; breathing problems), compared with participants who didn’t report high-risk practices (39% vs. 16%).

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6923e2.htm?s_cid=mm6923e2_x