Here we go, another scary "germs!" advert.

Spot on! Personally, I think a lot of the superbugs we deal with these days are as a result of disinfecting everything to death. As you say, how did we survive in the era before wipes?

Oh, I remember! We wiped surfaces with dishcloths, with a generous dose of liquid dettol on em!

never used wipes nor liquid Dettol in my life ! reared six weans to adulthood

Keep the dishcloth sweet by regular bleach baths, no need for Dettol wipes.
Having said that, they came in very useful when we had cats, those little paws got everywhere!

Dettol? Wassat?

Totally agree Phoenix/Lisalou. The fact that all 3 of my children were rarely ill and have 'cast iron' stomachs is, I'm sure, due to my slap dash cleaning. (The children would also add that food poisoning was also impossible as I burn everything)

Just for the record, Dettol should not be used on surfaces where cats might walk – just about everywhere in my experience – because it contains a chemical harmful to cats that they can absorb through their paws. I assume it is okay once it has dried but am not sure. Their are other disinfectants that don't contain this chemical, the name of which I have forgotten. My friend the cat expert always used the reminder "Dangerous Dettol, Safe Savlon".

I often wonder about the chemicals in products like Dettol and other wipes. Should we be using them on surfaces that we intend to prepare or place food on? Are they all chemicals tested individually and in combination. If they are strong enough to kill bacteria, why would they not kill healthy bacteria.

Whilst on that subject, does anyone else hate the use of antibacterial sprays for cleaning cafe/pub/restaurant tables? They seem to leave a sticky residue which I find really unpleasant.
I get the urge to whip out a dishcloth and a bowl of hot soapy water and give them a good doing!

Apparently you shouldnt use anything that turns white where cats are i was told although i know someone who uses Zofloa, i do use dettol sometimes, but keep the cats off it, although its well diluted

Picture the scene, a cave somewhere in prehistoric times, I have taken the liberty of translating:

Mr Neanderthal: Right, I'm off to get meat. I have my spear.

Mrs Neanderthal: Well, I'm going to be pretty busy trying to make sure that that little Ug and Og don't come into contact with any germs, whatever they are. If I don't find out, and find a way of dealing with them, then we could be the last people ever!

Mr Neanderthal: If the dinosaurs had Dettol wipes, they might have made it. Oh well.

Now that wobbly thing happens, to show that the scene is changing.

Fast forward to Medieval England.

Mr. Peasant: Right, wife, I'm off out to tend to the masters pigs and dig some turnips.

Mrs Peasant: As you've finished with my body, I will fasten my corsets and set about strewing some fresh straw and reeds about the place, as we wouldn't want young Josiah and Mary to pick up any germs, whatever they might be. I trust you will be bringing home some milk for them, straight from the cow?

Mr Peasant: Of course I will, as Lois Pastuer hasn't been born yet, and no doubt you will be grinding the wheat to make bread in a non washed let alone Dettol wiped bowl? Let's just hope we live long enough to procreate, so perhaps you'd better loosen you corsets again, just to make sure.

phoenix Medieval England – corsets?

After watching that "chicken"
Advert my 7 year old grandson said "grandma I wouldn't want to eat that chicken after it has wiped the babies highchair, would you?"

I agree phoenix - and there is as terrible waste of energy and natural materials in producing these unnecessary products. But "the market" is now so distorted in favour of making profits at any cost, that it is now incumbent upon it to create multiple demands for things that nobody really needs. I also agree about anti-bacterial sprays and air fresheners (which have been shown to be damaging to health).

I use a dishcloth and every night leave it in soak in a bleach solution - I have never given anyone food poisoning.

Sorry absent

phoenix - I love you! Cackling with laughter here!

sunseeker same here never had problems with food poisoning in 40+ years.

I usually use a clean cloth every day and throw the used one in the washing machine with all our other clothes. I expect someone will tell me that I shouldn't wash the cloths with our dirty laundry

What's a dishcloth?

I once had a cat who adored the smell of bleach so I had to be awfully careful if I used it.

I do have to be careful with DH so I use the Dettol washing disinfectant when I'm washing towels and underwear at low temperatures.

Re the antiseptic sprays in restaurants ......
I was working in a cafe about 20 years ago and we used a bright purple spray which was kept behind the counter. One day an old man called me over and said that his wife had put some vinegar on her fish and chips and it didn't taste right. Yes! You've guessed! She'd taken a bottle of purple spray from behind the counter and sprayed it liberally over her chips!