Millions of Fabuloso cleaning products recalled over possible bacterial contamination

NEW YORK (WXIN) – Nearly 5 million bottles of cleaning products are being recalled after potentially dangerous bacteria may have contaminated some of the products.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said the recall involves Fabuloso multi-purpose cleaners. It does not include Fabuloso Antibacterial variants or other Fabuloso products.

The recalled products were sold online at Amazon.com, and other websites, as well as in stores at Dollar General, Family Dollar, The Home Depot, Sam’s Club, Walmart, and other major retailers nationwide.

The products ranged in price between $1 and $11, and were sold in December 2022 through January 2023.

The following Fabuloso Multi-Purpose Cleaners are included in this recall:

Fabuloso said the recall comes after they discovered a preservative was not added at the intended levels during the manufacturing process, leading to a risk of bacterial growth.

Specifically, the recalled products may contain pseudomonas species bacteria, including pseudomonas aeruginosa and pseudomonas fluorescens. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says pseudomonas is a type of bacteria commonly found in the environment, such as in soil and water. The bacteria can enter the body through inhalation, through the eyes or through a break in the skin.

Of the types of pseudomonas, the CDC says pseudomonas aeruginosa most often causes infections in humans. This can result in infections in the blood, lungs (pneumonia) or other parts of the body after surgery.

These bacteria are constantly finding new ways to evade antibiotics used to treat the infections they cause, the CDC says. If the bacteria develop resistance to several types of antibiotics, these germs can become multidrug-resistant.

While no illnesses have been reported, the CPSC says people with weakened immune systems, those using external medical devices, or those with underlying lung conditions face a risk of serious infection if exposed to the bacteria, and may need medical treatment.

Anyone with the recalled cleaning product should stop using it and contact Colgate-Palmolive Company for a full refund or a free replacement product. Consumers should take a picture of the product’s UPC and lot code before throwing the product away.

Anyone with questions can contact Colgate-Palmolive Company toll-free at 855-703-0166 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.