Woolite Contamination Recalls 2023 and 2025

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Woolite Delicates Detergent has been recalled due to contamination that poses a risk of bacterial exposure. This incident highlights the potential for household cleaners to harbor harmful bacteria, contrasting with the common perception that such products are inherently safe, similar to bleach used in epidemic situations. The discussion also touches on the evolution of household soaps, noting that modern detergents are formulated to be less aggressive, maintaining a near-neutral pH to avoid skin and fabric damage. Additionally, there are warnings about the dangers of mixing cleaning agents, as illustrated by a personal anecdote involving a dangerous reaction between Clorox and ammonia, emphasizing the importance of safe cleaning practices.
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It never occurred to me that a household cleaner could harbor bacterial infections. I suppose I've always assumed they were like bleach, which is used in all epidemic outbreaks.
 
jedishrfu said:
It never occurred to me that a household cleaner could harbor bacterial infections.
Old times lye soap had ph around 9-11, as I recall. But these days most of the everyday detergents are kept around neutral, with extreme care that it won't be aggressive enough to harm skin or clothes. Very different.
 
Not directly related to this topic:
Chemistry is Fun, NOT!

I had a coworker, an electrical engineer, who once told us how he used Clorox and ammonia to clean a toilet, thinking they would work much better together. His wife, a nurse, could have killed him when she found out.

Mixing the two resulted in a puff of chlorine gas, but he survived both attempts on his life and remained married.

and now, back to our regularly scheduled thread.
 
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gack! real bad emissions - prob chloramines rather than Cl gas
 

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