Not so Fabuloso: 4.9 million cleaning bottles recalled because of bacteria exposure

Nearly 5 million bottles of the Fabuloso Multi-Purpose Cleaner were subject to a recall announced Wednesday by Colgate-Palmolive and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

A statement on Fabuloso’s recall site warned of a “risk of bacteria growth in the recalled products” because a “preservative was not added at the intended levels during manufacturing.”

The types of bacteria that could grow in the cleaning products, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fluorescens, are commonly found in water and soil.

While people with healthy immune systems are unlikely to be affected by exposure to the bacteria, “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 Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

Fabuloso’s site said that 3.9 million of the bottles were “never released for sale,” meaning about 1 million were.

The popular cleaners being recalled were sold at a variety of stores from Dec. 16, 2022, through January 2023. Major retailers included Amazon, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Home Depot, Sam’s Club and Walmart.

Product prices ranged from $1 to $11, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said, and customers can fill out a reimbursement request form to receive a refund.