Toxicity: Minor toxicity expected in small, accidental taste amounts of a disinfectant wipe.
Expected symptoms: Chewing on a disinfectant wipe can result in small amounts of the disinfectant getting in the mouth. If the disinfectant is swallowed there can be minor stomach upset with limited nausea and vomiting.
What to do: If some disinfectant has been swallowed, rinse the mouth several times with water. After rinsing, drink some water or milk to make the disinfectant less irritating to the stomach. Be sure to wash the hands and face with a gentle soap and water to remove any disinfectant from the skin.
Quick Facts about disinfectant wipes:
Many callers ask, “my child chewed on a disinfecting wipe, what do I do?” The Missouri Poison Center has the answers for you!
There are many different brands of disinfectant wipes available for household use, such as Lysol® or Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes. The ingredients vary from brand to brand, but their purpose is to disinfect hard surfaces such as countertops, floors, bathroom fixtures, key boards, and phones. If a surface is dirty, it should first be cleaned with soap and water. Then, a disinfectant wipe can be used to help kill germs such as viruses and bacteria. Read the directions carefully, most times the hard surface needs to stay wet with the disinfectant for several minutes to ensure all germs are killed.
Disinfectants are not intended to be used on or in the body. Sometimes children are found chewing on a disinfectant wipe and may get the clear liquid disinfectant into their mouths. If you find your child chewing on a disinfectant wipe, do not panic. Take the wipe away from them, wipe out the mouth with a soft, wet cloth. Go between the cheeks and gums looking for any piece of the cloth they may have bitten off. Remove any pieces from their mouth so the child does not choke on it, and then give them some water or milk to drink. This will help reduce the risk of an upset stomach from the disinfectant. Be sure to wash exposed skin with soap and water. If they rub their eyes, call the Poison Center for instructions on how to rinse the eyes.
If problems start or you have questions, call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. The poison center is open all day, every day for poisoning emergencies and questions