Clorox has recalled millions of Pine-Sol units due to concerns over infection-causing bacteria.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the move Tuesday, saying there were eight multi-surface cleaning products that may contain Pseudomonas aeruginosa—an environmental organism that can be harmful to humans. According to the agency, the bacteria is mostly found in soil and water, and can pose a serious risk to those with weakened immune systems.
“The bacteria can enter the body if inhaled, through the eyes, or through a break in the skin,” the CPSC wrote. “People with healthy immune systems are usually not affected by the bacteria.”
Pine-Sol’s parent company Clorox said it has recalled about 37 million products manufactured between January 2021 and September 2022 at its Forest Park, Georgia, facility. The affected products include Pine-Sol Scented Multi-Surface Cleaners in Lavender Clean, Sparkling Wave, and Lemon Fresh scents; CloroxPro Pine-Sol All Purpose Cleaners in Lavender Clean, Sparkling Wave, Lemon Fresh, and Orange Energy scents; as well as Clorox Professional Pine-Sol Lemon Fresh Cleaners. All the products are sold in bottles of 28, 48, 60, 100, 144, and 175 fluid ounces.
The Original Pine-Sol in Pine scent has not been recalled.
Clorox said the bottles were sold at big-name retailers like Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Dollar Tree, as well as Amazon. Consumers can scan any bottle’s label to find a date code that begins with “A4,” followed by a five-digit number. If the number is less than 22249, the product is among those that have been recalled. Once it’s determined that the product may have been contaminated, consumers are urged to take pictures of the date code and 12-digit UPC code before throwing the bottle away. They can then contact Pine-Sol for a refund of the purchase price.
