Your classroom supply list may seem benign, but look closer at your surface wipes.
Tissues, check. Dry erase markers, check. Surface wipes …
Stop right, there. Before you put a surface wipes canister in your cart, read the back label. You might be surprised what hazards you find – even on wipes from familiar national brands. Here’s what to look for and what to avoid.
The Dirty Secret
While many wipes on the market are effective at cleaning and killing germs, they might be leaving behind a residue of harsh chemicals.
That residue can be transferred onto students’ hands and their sensitive skin. Or worse, it can make its way onto snacks that children might set on those surfaces, then consume. Not to mention harsh fumes that can irritate lungs.
On many wipes labels, you’ll find the words “PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS” with hazards to humans and domestic animals. You might also see the word CAUTION, with a statement about the possibility of eye irritation and instructions to thoroughly wash hands after handling. Not exactly what you want around children.
A Better Way
Fortunately, science has proven there’s a better option to care for classrooms and students.
PURELL® Surface Wipes are free of harsh chemicals, yet quickly kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, including cold and flu, strep, norovirus, and human coronavirus.
In fact, PURELL Surface Wipes are so carefully formulated that you can use them on food-contact surfaces, no rinse required.
It’s also rated by the EPA as Category IV. What on earth does that mean? Category IV is the EPA’s lowest toxicity rating, and it is granted to products that have little to no irritation across six categories, including skin, eyes, and inhalation. It also means there are no precautionary statements and no need for protective equipment or handwashing after use.
PURELL Professional Disinfecting Wipes have a light citrus scent, but many schools are opting for PURELL Foodservice Sanitizing Wipes, which have the same germ kill without any added fragrance.
Ready to expel harsh chemicals from classrooms? Check out our groundbreaking surface wipes as well as our complete line of surface sprays here.