Products like Lysol claim to kill 99 per cent germs, as do most household products. So, what is the 1% ?
What if that 1% is the most powerful kind? Or do they just claim that, and the percentage is actually higher, just so that you can't lay blame on them or sue them.
2006-09-18 15:51:42 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Why not say 97% or something like that? So then it sounds more scientific, which means that when everything say 99% it's not actually based on facts.
2006-09-19 15:40:20 · update #1
Products like Lysol are non specific antibacterial agents. They kill a broad spectrum of bacteria, but some types will be more reliant than others. The effectiveness ranges from 3 to 5 logs (99.9 to 99.999). By comparison, just rinsing with water is 2 logs and high pressure water can be 4 logs. I am not sure how much of Lysol's claims can be attributed to other modes of action. A bit like saying that cereal X is a good source of milk after you add the milk. Note that a 2 log (99%) reduction is not very impressive: the bacteria can recover their initial numbers in less than 3 hours. Further, 1 Salmonella can make you sick, so a 99% reduction just is not good enough when a 'clean' surface has 10,000 bacteria per cm^2.
2006-09-18 17:10:35 · answer #1 · answered by d/dx+d/dy+d/dz 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Most likely it is a marketing thing and plus companies can't put things that say it can kill 100 % germs. That because even though you think you kill most of bacteria you atually don't. There are some hardy ones that can survive when there's antimicrobials agents. I don't think companies are even allowed to market their stuff like lysol to say that it kills all germs. That's just pushing it. And i think that those companies did tests on lysol to determine how effective it is at killing bacteria and they find that maybe they do get bacterial growth even though it's very little. So that's where that 1% comes in.
Also companies don't want people to sue them so they put that 1% in. C'mom nothing is perfect.
2006-09-18 23:18:33 · answer #2 · answered by chanseypokemon 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Products like that kill germs since they have antibiotic properties in them. The bacteria that they don't kill are probably resistant to the antibiotic. Antibiotics usually effect some part of the bacteria cell that it needs replicate - such as the synthesis of the cell wall or the making of the protein or the replication of the bacterium's DNA - if the proteins that perform these functions for the bacterium are mutated in some way - then the antibiotic can't bind to it, and thus has no effect in killing the bacteria. This leads to bacteria that is resistant to this mechanism of killing it. Usually these aren't very harmful in a household, however anti-biotic resistant bacteria in a hospital setting are dangerous.
Overall the product does work very well - and just basic biology and evolution prevent it from working 100%.
2006-09-18 23:04:48 · answer #3 · answered by c. mcd. 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually Lysol is very scientific about the whole thing. They spray a whole room full of a known number of germs, and then go around counting the dead ones.
2006-09-18 23:11:00 · answer #4 · answered by stevewbcanada 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is a misleading marketing staement- it is not clear if it will kiil 99% of the germs that you spray it on, 99% of all the germs in the world will be killed by it (what if 100% of the germs on the toilet seat are the 1% in the world that it can't kill??)
I mean , I really don't think it is possible to figure out of all the germs in the world, or even in the household (they do say that "99% of all household germs") it can and will kill and how much of them died when you sprayed it- It just sounds good, I think and who is going to do the testing to check it out?? Consumers will buy anything that makes them 'feel' good and safe- who cares if it actually does the job.
2006-09-18 22:58:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ah... the lonely 1%.
That lone 1%, in shock from the catastrophic extraterrestrial attack that decimated their population, wander around the barren wastelands that was once their Eden.
The cursed 1% turn their withered faces to the heavens and cry out, "why me, O germ lord, why me? Why am I left to suffer the memories of what has befallen my people?"
And the 1% wait... for sweet, sweet death to take them as well.
2006-09-18 23:01:58 · answer #6 · answered by willow oak 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
actually they do not dare to claim until 100%, because they do not want be sued by the Customer.
the figure 99% is to say that their product is powerful.
2006-09-19 02:19:11 · answer #7 · answered by ooowen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Beware the 1 percent! Those are the germs that evolve into giant roaches and rats! They live under your toilet and carry off your young!
2006-09-18 22:54:43 · answer #8 · answered by Danny 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
what the hell kind of question is this?
2006-09-18 22:59:21 · answer #9 · answered by haha 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋