The recall covers 37 million bottles of eight different types of Pine-Sol, which may contain a bacterial called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). “Pine-Sol is voluntarily recalling certain scented Pine-Sol cleaners as we learned that some products may contain bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa,” Clorox said in a statement. “People with weakened immune systems or external medical devices who are exposed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa face a risk of serious infection that may require medical treatment.” Pseudomonas aeruginosa can enter the body through inhalation, exposure to the eyes, or through a break in the skin, according to CSPC. While it doesn’t typically pose a risk to people with healthy immune systems, it can cause serious infections in people with HIV, organ transplants, wounds from surgery or burns, or medical devices like breathing machines or catheters. No injuries have been reported, according to CSPC. Original Pine-Sol (pine scent) isn’t covered by the recall and is still safe to use, according to Clorox. Products covered by the recall have date codes printed on the bottle beginning with the prefix “A4” and include: Pine-Sol scented multisurface cleaners (lavender clean, sparkling wave, and lemon fresh scents); CloroxPro Pine-Sol all-purpose cleaners (lavender clean, sparkling wave, lemon fresh, and orange energy scents); and Clorox Professional Pine-Sol lemon fresh cleaner. All of the recalled products were manufactured between January 2021 and September 2022 at a Clorox facility in Forest Park, Georgia, according to CSPC. These cleaning products were sold in bottles of 28, 48, 60, 100, 144, and 175 fluid ounces. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cleaning products. Bottles of recalled Pine-Sol should be disposed of in its container in household trash, CPSC said. Customers with recalled cleaning products can get more information and seek reimbursement by calling Pine-Sol toll-free at 855-378-4982, emailing PineSolRecalls@inmar.com, or filling out a form online at PineSolRecall.com. Pseudomonas is one of several types of bacteria that are becoming increasingly difficult to treat with antibiotics, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). So-called antibiotic resistance happens when germs adapt to evade treatment, and pseudomonas is one of many types of bacteria that can become multi-drug-resistant, outsmarting a wide variety of medicines. Multi-drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa caused an estimated 32,600 infections among hospitalized patients and roughly 2,700 deaths in the United States in 2017 alone, according to the CDC. These germs spread easily in from one person to another through contaminated hands, equipment or surfaces. Routine hand-washing and cleaning patient rooms and shared equipment can help prevent the spread of these infections, according to the CDC.
