Concern over 'quats' in strong cleaning products - what you should know

Cleaning products inside a Dollar General Market store in Saddlebrook, New Jersey, US, on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. Dollar General Corp. is scheduled to release earnings figures on March 14. Photographer: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images

(NewsNation) — The COVID-19 pandemic brought a huge and sudden demand for extra-strong disinfectants and sanitizers. But, with so many more of us using those strong cleaners, researchers want to know if we're in any greater danger.

What are those chemicals and what is the concern? Here's what you need to know:

What are quats?

It's all about "quats," short for quaternary ammonium compounds. They've been part of cleaning products for decades.

But, over the past ten years, they have become "a chemical class of emerging concern."

What's the danger?

One researcher found some quats to be potentially toxic to some brain cells that help nerves pass signals through the brain.

How exposed are we?

Another researcher noticed defects in lab mice after the lab switched to a new disinfectant containing quats.

A professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Washington says exposure to quats is "ubiquitous." They've been detected in human breast milk and in the feces of dogs living in shelter cages that are frequently cleaned.

Can we minimize exposure to quats?

Yes, say climate scientists. Regular soap and water will kill most bacteria. But if you're concerned about disinfectants, open a window when you're cleaning.

Don't use strong disinfectants around children or pregnant women. Consider alternatives for heavy cleaning like citric acid, ethanol or hydrogen peroxide.

Is it really dangerous?

An anatomy professor at Edward Via College in Virginia says that although we know that quats can get into the body, we know nothing about their effects.

The American Cleaning Institute says the study on brain cells "does not establish a causal link to any known or observed human health effect and should not be interpreted by readers to be predictive of possible health effects."

One maker of environmentally friendly cleaning products says we can't immediately dismiss the study, but we should think about whether to use products containing quats.