Germs are a problem around the home, though not always in the way we think. Some germs are definitely unwelcome and there is no shame in keeping your kitchen surfaces clean and healthy. Simple things like washing your hands before cooking, and again after handling raw meat are just pure common sense. But good soap and nice hot water will do the trick fine.
Despite evidence that we do need exposure, albeit with some care, to nasties as we are growing up to help our body build its own defenses, some companies love working on scare tactics to make sure we buy their anti germ products. Once such company is Reckitt Benckiser,
producers of Dettol, a product that has been closely linked to the antiseptic market in the UK since 1933. This is a highly respected product, so when their adverts start shouting FACT in front of every sentence and tell you that your work top has more germs than you toilet bowl, there is the assumption that everyone will rush out and buy Dettol.
This scaremongering has continued with their latest, heavily hyped product, the Healthy Touch soap dispenser. Apparently your soap dispenser that you have been using for several generations is a frightening source of germs, so they have invented one that you don’t have to touch to get the disinfectant soap.
In the last week or so, I have noticed they have calmed down their adverts, and are concentrating on how your children are going to catch terrible diseases from that terrible soap dispenser that you force them to use (or maybe even that germ laden bar of soap?) and should buy this no touch system.
Now as I said, there is nothing wrong with cleanliness, especially in the kitchen, but isn't this new device and the marketing that goes with it just feeding off our paranoia? Paranoia generated by the adverts in the first place. To
make it worse, this product is completely pointless.
After all, what is the first thing you do having touched a soap dispenser to get soap?
You wash your hands!
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