Why are our cleaning products failing us? Experts explain the recent recalls.

It's a fair assumption that cleaning products you use will help protect you against bacteria and viruses that can make you sick. But a recent series of recalls around cleaning agents has made plenty of people question that basic concept.

Colgate-Palmolive is recalling nearly 5 million units of Fabuloso multipurpose cleaner over the risk of exposure to a type of bacteria called pseudomonas. The recall notice from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) specifically cites the risk of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fluorescens, which are organisms found in soil and water. "People with weakened immune systems, external medical devices, or underlying lung conditions who are exposed to the bacteria face a risk of serious infection that may require medical treatment," the recall notice reads. "The bacteria can enter the body if inhaled, through the eyes or through a break in the skin." (People with healthy immune systems are usually not affected by the bacteria, the CPSC notes.)

This is the same bacteria that prompted a recall of the Laundress cleaning products in November. The company noted that an internal investigation found "the potential presence of elevated levels of bacteria," including "multiple different species of Pseudomonas," in some of its products, leading to the company requesting customers to stop using all of its products — including home cleaning sprays and laundry detergents — immediately.

But bacteria ... in cleaning supplies? Here's what you need to know about pseudomonas, its impact on your health and how the bacteria can wind up in cleaning products.

What is pseudomonas exactly?

On a basic level, "pseudomonas is a genus of bacteria that is widespread in the environment and is a cause of various infections, ranging from pneumonia to bloodstream infections," Dr. Amesh Adalja, infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, tells Yahoo Life. Pseudomonas is commonly found in soil and water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The type that most commonly infects humans is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can lead to infections in the blood, lungs or other parts of the body, the CDC says. The agency points out that pseudomonas is constantly finding new ways to avoid antibiotics that are used to treat the infections it causes.

How does pseudomonas impact your health?

If you're an otherwise healthy person, pseudomonas is unlikely to do much to you, Dr. Thomas Russo, a professor and the chief of infectious diseases at the University at Buffalo in New York, tells Yahoo Life. "It falls into the category of being a wimpy bacterium," he says. "If you're a healthy host, it usually causes things like swimmer's ear and hot tub folliculitis [a skin infection]. It doesn't cause a lot of infections per se."

But pseudomonas is more concerning if you're immunocompromised. "Then, it may be able to cause more serious infections," Russo says. People who become infected with pseudomonas are often exposed to the bacteria in health care settings, such as hospitals or nursing homes, the CDC says, and drug-resistant pseudomonas is particularly dangerous. In 2017, multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa caused an estimated 32,600 infections in hospitalized patients in the U.S. and 2,700 estimated deaths, per the CDC.

Again, it can cause serious infections in the blood, lungs (such as pneumonia) or other parts of the body. "Some of these bacterium are extraordinarily resistant to antibiotics," Russo says. "When they cause these infections, they can be notoriously difficult to treat."

How can pseudomonas end up in cleaning products?

It seems strange that pseudomonas can thrive in products designed to kill bacteria and viruses, but it's not shocking to experts. "These bacteria grow in the soil, so they are pretty good at living in some strange conditions," Jamie Alan, associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University, tells Yahoo Life.

Pseudomonas is also a "somewhat common bacteria," Alan says, noting that she's seen it show up in common places such as showers in the past. Contamination in cleaning products "likely occurs at some point during the manufacturing process," Adalja explains. In the case of the Fabuloso recall, Colgate-Palmolive said that inadequate levels of a preservative were added that would have conceivably killed the bacteria. This, Adalja says, "allowed bacterial growth."

Is there any way to tell if pseudomonas is in your cleaning products?

There's really no way to tell by looking at your cleaning supplies if they've been contaminated with pseudomonas, Russo says. "It's pretty much mission impossible," he adds.

Despite having two major recalls within just a few months of each other, Adalja says, it's pretty rare for pseudomonas to end up in cleaning products. If you're concerned, though, Alan recommends revisiting the cleaning products you use. "An ethanol concentration of greater than 30% will generally kill pseudomonas," she says, noting that "most hand sanitizers have about 60 to 70% ethanol." Hydrogen peroxide and bleach also kill pseudomonas, she says.

If you're worried about pseudomonas exposure in the future, "likely, your best bet is to buy a bleach- or hydrogen-peroxide-based product," Alan says.

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