Belgium has launched a new federal campaign on the safe use of cleaning and disinfecting products. The initiative, run by the Federal Public Service (FPS) Public Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment together with the Belgian Poison Centre, operates under the name “Clean Safely” via the platform Poetsveilig.be, and targets both consumers and domestic cleaners. To reach the latter group, the FPS Public Health is working with service-voucher companies and the FPS Employment. The campaign was announced on October 7, 2026, and runs for two years.
When Is Disinfecting Necessary, and When Not?
According to the organizers, people have been reaching for disinfecting products, such as disinfectant sprays and bleach, more readily since the coronavirus pandemic. For ordinary household cleaning, water with soap or a mild all-purpose cleaner is sufficient in most cases. Disinfecting agents are biocides that use strong chemicals to kill almost all micro-organisms. They may be needed in specific situations: when there is a contagious illness in the home, such as a stomach flu, COVID-19, or MRSA, to protect someone with a weakened immune system, after contact with blood, vomit, or stool, on medical advice, or in the event of mold growth. In the latter case, the campaign stresses that the underlying cause, such as a damp problem, must also be addressed, or the mold will return.
Risks of Improper Use
Excessive or incorrect use of cleaning and disinfecting products can harm health. The campaign points to irritation of the skin, eyes, and airways, and to headaches or nausea when working in poorly ventilated spaces. Via wastewater, the same substances can also harm animals and plants in the environment. For domestic cleaners, Poetsveilig.be sets out concrete safety tips: choose the right product for the task and preferably mild agents such as Marseille soap, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), or cleaning vinegar; read the label and follow the instructions; ventilate during and after cleaning; avoid sprays and atomizers, since they allow chemical particles to be inhaled unnoticed; never mix products with each other, and store them safely, out of reach of children and pets. Mixing products can release toxic gases.
Context
The risk the campaign addresses is not merely theoretical. In October 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, the FPS Public Health and the Belgian Poison Centre reported a “record” number of accidents involving household cleaning products. Where the yearly average at the time was around ten thousand accidents involving such products, the number of incidents involving bleach or bleach-based products had doubled since March 2020 (1,024), those involving hand sanitizer had increased fivefold (1,003), and those involving other disinfectants had tripled (565). In late July 2020, the Poison Centre also saw a spike in hand-sanitizer poisonings among children. The campaign announcement does not cite more recent figures, but those earlier findings underline why a campaign focused on less, but better and safer, use remains relevant.
The issue is not unique to Belgium: chemical product safety in the workplace and at home is a policy topic worldwide. Countries that apply the Globally Harmonized System for the classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS), such as through the EU’s CLP Regulation, require manufacturers to clearly state hazard symbols and safety instructions on the label. That makes it easier for users in those countries to recognize risks, such as the danger of mixing incompatible substances.
Source: Nieuwe campagne rond het veilig gebruik van poetsproducten, October 7, 2026
Additional research: Belgium sees ‘record’ poisonings with household cleaners, hand gel and essential oils, The Brussels Times, October 19, 2020
