Have you ever used Pine-Sol? This multi-purpose cleaner has remained popular since the 1920s, and it contains glycolic acid as the key ingredient responsible for so many household purposes. This product is not as destructive as bleach, and it fights grime, grease, and dirt, leaving a fresh, pine fragrance.
With such a thrilling smell, you can make use of this product for many household hacks. The item is manufactured from cleaning agents, surfactants to deal with grease, isopropanol, water, gum, etc. Still, is Pine Sol a disinfectant? This article discusses Pine-Sol, its properties, how this product works, and what it can be used for.
A Guide and Frequently Asked Questions on Pine-Sol
This section will comprehensively describe pine sol, as well as its properties, how it works, and how to use this disinfectant. Also, it will look at some of the most frequently asked questions on the product. Read on to learn more about Pine-Sol cleaner.
A General Overview of Pine-Sol
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Pine-Sol detergent was created by Harry Cole in 1929 after he discovered the properties of the substance. Within 5 years, the product grew, turning the corporation into a million-dollar organization, making sales of over 20 million jars throughout the United States as well as eleven other countries. Initially, the product contained pine oil, which was easily extracted from trees.
However, today, the brands sold do not contain any pine oil. While all other ingredients have remained the same, pine oil has been replaced by glycolic acid. This is because of pine oil’s limited supply and high costs. Even though these products are still listed to contain pine oil, it is not an active component, and glycolic acid is mainly used as the only active ingredient. So, the product has been altered over the past nine decades, and changed ownership several times, to become what it is today.
How Is the Product Used?
You can use Pine-Sol on hard nonporous surfaces, such as floors, trash cans, diaper buckets, washrooms, tiles, bathtubs, sinks, shower stalls, bathtubs, counters, etc. Mix a quarter cup of pine sol with a gallon of water to create a solution. For a stronger effect, use maximum strength, let it stay for a while, and then rinse. On a wooden surface, do not let puddles of the solution remain. However, this product is not recommended to be used on aluminum, marble, and several wood covers, including waxed, unsealed, oiled, etc.
Does It Disinfect?
Yes, Pine-Sol is a disinfectant. Sanitizing commodities in the United States have to be approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their disinfecting characteristics, and Pine-Sol is among the registered sanitizing products. It is used as a disinfectant for several germ types, getting rid of up to 99% of them.
Does It Kill Bacteria, Viruses, Mold, Etc.?
There is a lot of uncertainty as to whether this product gets rid of bacteria, viruses, mold, etc. or not. Well, it does. Pine-Sol is capable of killing several germs since it is potent enough at getting rid of bacteria, viruses, and mold, as well as other pathogens. This product will eliminate household bacteria or viruses, especially during the flu and cold seasons, or when there are other outbreaks. When applied as instructed and at full strength, it will disinfect against household germs and bacteria, including Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Athletes foot fungus, etc.
When Is Pine-Sol Used?
Pine-Sol is used for cleaning and disinfecting a couple of household surfaces, including kitchens, sinks, tubs, toilets, etc. since it gets rid of grease, dirt, stains, and grime, making it a strong disinfectant. It works by breaking down vegetable oils, animal fats, wine stains, cooking grease, and so on. Additionally, you can use it in the living room, garage, the laundry room, as a pest and cat deterrent, and to strip paint. So, this product may be used in so many household activities.
How to Use It
To clean using Pine-Sol, mix a quarter cup of the solution with a gallon of warm water and mix it in a spray bottle. Depending on the surface you want to clean or disinfect, spray the necessary amount of mixture on it, leaving it to sit for approximately five to ten minutes. Using a paper towel or cloth, wipe the solution. Rinse with water, then wipe again.
However, make sure you never mix Pine-Sol and bleach. Just because you’re looking to enhance Pine-Sol’s disinfecting strength does not mean that you need to mix it with other commodities such as bleach to achieve this effect. This mixture is toxic, and it will generate chlorine. Exposure to excessive chlorine is capable of causing blurred vision, redness, burning pain, and blisters. It can also irritate your skin and eyes. For this reason, you should never mix Pine-Sol with bleach, or any commodity that has bleach.
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Frequently Asked Questions Section
This section will address the commonly asked questions on pine sol, including its properties, ingredients, whether it is toxic, etc. It will also discuss what the product is used for, mixing it with other sanitizers, etc. So, read on to learn more about the most frequent questions about Pine-Sol cleaner.
Is Pine Sol a Disinfectant?
Most people wonder, “is Pine Sol a disinfectant?” Well, Pine-Sol contains some disinfectant properties. It is effective in getting rid of pathogens. When you use the product at full capacity, it is a disinfectant. It has been registered under the EPA and can get rid of up to 99% of bacteria and germs on non-porous surfaces. However, you should not use it on some types of wood, copper, aluminum, cars, or dishes, etc.
What Are the Pine-Sol Ingredients?
The Pine-Sol disinfectant contains such ingredients as water, glycolic acid, alcohol, sulfonates, distearates, as well as xanthan gum. Water is the base, alcohol and sodium sulfonate work as cleaning agents. The glycolic acid is used to get rid of scale deposits, discoloration, and soap scum in bathtubs as well as toilets. Distearates work as defoamers, while the caramel is incorporated to enhance the appearance of the product. Finally, gum works as an ecological thickener.
Is Pine Sol Toxic?
Pine-Sol isn’t toxic. However, it is important to take the necessary measures while using it since the product emits hazardous chemicals. Besides, a study conducted by Women’s Voice for Earth revealed that Pine-Sol contains other toxic chemicals that are not indicated on the bottle, including plathlates, carcinogens, etc.
It has been claimed that these chemicals cause pregnancy complications, cancer, and defects at birth, disruption of hormones, as well as aggravation of allergies. Moreover, it is important to note that this product is also toxic to pets. So, you need to rinse a surface thoroughly after cleaning if you have pets or avoid it altogether.
Related Post: Difference Between Disinfection, Sanitization, and Sterilization.
Mixing Bleach and Pine-Sol
Are you wondering “does Pine-Sol kill germs even better, if mixed with bleach?” Mixing these products in particular portions emits poisonous chlorine gas. This gas is extremely toxic, and will quickly lead to respiratory arrests, losing consciousness, and dying when breathed in.
So, these products should always be used separately. Besides, each of these products is potent and will produce strong fumes during usage. So, it is important to ventilate your house for safe usage, particularly in confined areas such as the washroom. Mix these products only with water.
Does Pine Sol Contain Ammonia?
No, Pine-Sol does not contain any amount of ammonia. Each of these ingredients is a strong cleaning agent. So, mixing it with ammonia would create a toxic and poisonous gas.
Pine-Sol vs Lysol
As has been described, Pine-Sol is effective in cleaning household and commercial surfaces. It works by getting rid of grime, dirt, and grease, and can be used on so many surfaces. Lysol works just like Pine-Sol and will get rid of bacteria, fungi, mold, viruses, etc. after getting into contact with the surface for at least ten minutes. However, it may not be as effective if there are organic materials. Also, make sure not to mix these two solutions as they are both phenol-based, and combining them may lead to poisoning.
Pine-Sol vs Bleach
These two products work as disinfectants. However, they are used on different surfaces. Bleach is great at disinfecting and whitening toilets, tubs, clothes, and sinks. On the other hand, Pine-Sol is used to break down grease and clean household floors. Still, each of these products should be used separately. That way, the fumes produced do not react to create toxic chlorine gas.
What Are the Uses of Pine-Sol?
There are many uses for Pine-Sol in your household. They range from disinfecting, cleaning, deodorizing, etc. All of them are discussed below:
- Deodorizing Your Garbage Can
You can soak cotton inside the solution, and put it inside your garbage can. It is effective in deodorizing bad smells. So, before you replace your liner, just dip several cotton balls inside your preferred fragrance, and put them at the bottom of your garage can.
- Spot Treating Garments
This solution is used to treat clothes that have stains. Use it to pre-treat stains, including dirt, wine, grease, etc. before you launder the clothes. Next, soak the stained part using a little solution, then wash it as usual. It can also be used to enhance the appearance of white laundry.
- Deodorizing Your House
Fill a cup or bowl with your favorite fragrance of the solution. Also, you can choose to utilize an oil diffuser which will work incredibly well to produce a light and nice fragrance in the room.
- Keeping Pests and Bugs Away
Pine-Sol that has a lemon fragrance is great at deterring pests, and it is popular for keeping away rodents, flies, spiders, fleas, ants, and other pests from your household. You can also use this solution for wiping down areas where you’ve noticed these pests, including the kitchen countertops, cupboards, or baseboards, to keep them away from these places.
- Gives a Fresh Smell to Your Bathroom
Simply put the solution into your toilet brush container. This will give your bathroom a long-lasting fresh smell while keeping the brush clean all day.
- Create Your Own Disinfecting Wipes
Pine-Sol is effective in creating disinfecting wipes. All you need is paper towels and the solution. You will end up saving a lot of money. Just cut your paper towels into half and soak them into the solution inside a plastic jar. You’ll be left with disinfecting wipes, which are much more economical as compared to most brands on the market.
Related Post: Disinfector or Antiseptic: What Is the Difference?
- It Is a Weed Killer
Pine-Sol disinfectant is effective at killing weeds. So, if you have a particular problem area in your garden, mix equal parts of the solution and dawn dish soap, then spray the concoction in that area. It will get rid of the weeds as well as of unwanted garden pests, including ants, etc.
- Cleaning Jewelry
This mixture can be used to clean your jewelry. Just place a small amount of it inside a container, then soak the jewelry inside for a maximum of three minutes. Once you remove it, rinse the jewelry, then wipe it clean using a soft garment.
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Using Pine-Sol as a Disinfectant
Most households cannot do without sanitizing materials to disinfect a lot of surfaces since they come into contact with germs, bacteria, viruses, etc. Pine-Sol is among these solutions used to keep a house clean. This product can be used within your house cleaning many surfaces, including floors such as tile, hardwood, linoleum, as well as countertops and other surfaces.
Still, it is important to note that this solution can be toxic to humans and is harmful to pets. So, it is important to take the necessary precautions while using the product. Do you use Pine-Sol in your home? Does Pine Sol disinfect the surfaces in your household effectively? What do you use it for? I would love to hear your comments and questions. You can leave them in the comment section below.
References:
- Selected EPA-Registered Disinfectants (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency):
https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/selected-epa-registered-disinfectants - Secret Chemicals Revealed in Common Household Cleaners (Women’s Voices for The Earth):
https://www.womensvoices.org/about/media/archived-press-releases/2011-press-releases/secret-chemicals-revealed-in-cleaners/ - Best Weed Killer for Lawns That Is Guaranteed to Work Effectively(Tools & Goods):
https://toolsngoods.com/best-weed-killer/
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