Can Pine Sol be Toxic if Used on Dishes?

June 20, 2011, by Debra Lynn Dadd

Question from Tammy

My mother-in-laws maid uses pinesol full strength on cabinets, floors, etc. The other day I caught her cleaning out coffee pots and washing dishes with the same dish rag she was wiping countertops. This rag had full strength pinesol on it. She did rinse them but I was wondering especially since she used it to clean out coffee pot, is this safe? I told my motherinlaw about it and she said it shouldn't hurt anything since it is a disinfectant but I read on label that it could be toxic to humans, pets etc. Now I am not drinking coffee made in the coffee pot anymore. Am I just being paronoid?

Debra's Answer

First of all, the only hazardous ingredient listed on the Pine Sol MSDS is alkyl alcohol ethoxylates. These belong to a group of chemicals called "aromatic hydrocarbons" which are petrochemicals with strong, pungent, odors. The only health hazard listed on the MSDS is that it is an irritant. Pine Sol also contains strong scents that are not listed as hazardous ingredients, but artificial fragrances in and of themselves can contain many hazardous substances.

As to whether or not there is a danger drinking coffee from a pot wiped with Pine Sol, it is extremely unlikely that after rinsing the pot and allowing it to dry that there would be any residue of Pine Sol left. Pine Sol is extremely volatile and does not take very long to evaporate.

However, out of caution, I wouldn't recommend it for this use.