Dettol (also called parachlorometaxylenol, or PCMX) is the name of a commercial liquid antiseptic belonging to a product line of household products manufactured by Reckitt Benckiser. For other uses, see Liquid (disambiguation). ... An antiseptic solution of Povidone-iodine applied to an abrasion Antiseptics (Greek αντί, against, and σηπτικός, putrefactive) are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putrefaction. ... Reckitt Benckiser plc is one of the worlds leading manufacturers of cleaning products, and a member of the FTSE 100 Index of the largest companies traded on the London Stock Exchange. ...

The key ingredient which defines its unique antiseptic property is an aromatic chemical compound in chemistry known as chloroxylenol (C₈H₉ClO). This makes up 4.8% of Dettol's total mixture, with the rest composed of pine oil, isopropanol, castor oil soap, caramel, and water. Because several of the ingredients are insoluble in water, Dettol produces a white emulsion of oil droplets when diluted during use. It has a characterisitic phenolic odour similar to trichlorophenol and the explosive compound known as trinitrotoluene (TNT). Apart from its low toxicity and low metal corrosivity, it is also relatively cheap compared to other disinfectants and is effective against gram positive and gram negative bacteria, fungi, yeast, mildew and even the frightening "super-bug" MRSA, thus giving it a broad spectrum of antimicrobial action. It is able to kill 98% of microbes in just 15 seconds as shown in agar patch studies^{[citation needed]}, by disrupting the bacterial cells' membrane potential, drastically affecting its ability to produce Adenosine triphosphate and thus leading to its rapid death. Image File history File links Dettol_formula. ... For other uses, see Chemistry (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Dettol. ... Pine oil is an oil manufactured by the steam-distillation of pine (Pinus sylvestris) needles, twigs and cones. ... Isopropyl alcohol or isopropanol is a common name for 2-propanol, an alcohol commonly used for application to the skin, and popularly referred to as rubbing alcohol. ... Castor oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the castor bean (technically castor seed as the castor plant, Ricinus communis, is not a member of the bean family). ... Caramel candy For other uses, see Caramel (disambiguation). ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... R-phrases S-phrases Related Compounds Related compounds picric acid hexanitrobenzene Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 Â°C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. ... Gram-positive Bacillus anthracis bacteria (purple rods) in cerebrospinal fluid sample. ... Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria (pink-red rods). ... Phyla Actinobacteria Aquificae Chlamydiae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Lentisphaerae Nitrospirae Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Verrucomicrobia Bacteria (singular: bacterium) are unicellular microorganisms. ... Divisions Chytridiomycota Zygomycota Ascomycota Basidiomycota The Fungi (singular: fungus) are a large group of organisms ranked as a kingdom within the Domain Eukaryota. ... Typical divisions Ascomycota (sac fungi) Saccharomycotina (true yeasts) Taphrinomycotina Schizosaccharomycetes (fission yeasts) Basidiomycota (club fungi) Urediniomycetes Sporidiales Yeasts are a growth form of eukaryotic microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with approximately 1,500 species described. ... Mildew is a grey, mold-like growth caused by one of two different types of micro-organisms. ... MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a bacterium that has developed antibiotic resistance, first to penicillin in 1947, and later to methicillin. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Membrane potential (or transmembrane potential or transmembrane potential difference or transmembrane potential gradient), is the electrical potential difference (voltage) across a cells plasma membrane. ... Adenosine 5-triphosphate (ATP) is a multifunctional nucleotide that is most important as a molecular currency of intracellular energy transfer. ...

Dettol can also be used to treat acne in small quantities^[1]. Its topical application is a remedy for boils (skin abscess) and mild forms of musculoskeletal tenderness/pain.^{[citation needed]}

The bottle cap also doubles as a container for pouring increments of 10 ml for its various uses.

Like other household cleaners, Dettol is poisonous and should not be ingested. In an extreme case, a 42 year old English man died from Dettol overexposure in May 2007. ^[2] Overuse of Dettol can also cause bacterial resistance^{[citation needed]}, but the risk of infection can be reduced considerably by using it in addition to soap and water. For other uses, see Soap (disambiguation). ...

Dettol can also be used as a very effective insect repellent when mixed with baby oil. Make a mixture of 1 part Dettol to 1 part baby oil and shake well - it will turn white. Apply this solution on exposed skin for a bit of peace and quiet from pests of all kinds. Be careful not to use it in direct sunlight, as the baby oil can magnify the effects of the UV rays of the sun and cause sunburn. Mosquito on a bottle of herbal mosquito repellent. ...

Other Uses

Dettol is also used by some hobbyists to strip acrylic paint off of miniatures such as the Citadel Miniatures for the Warhammer games. The miniature is simply submerged in undiluted Dettol and left for a number of hours. Dettol weakens the paint's bond to the miniature so it can be removed with scrubbing. This is safe for both metal and plastic miniatures, metal miniatures can be left in Dettol indefinitely. Plastic miniatures should have limited exposure to reduce the risk of possible damage to the plastic, because of the paint's stronger bond with plastic miniatures, it also requires more scrubbing to remove the paints, and sometimes a "stain" is left. A Bigger Splash, 1967. ... The Citadel Miniatures Logo Citadel Miniatures Limited is a producer of metal and plastic miniatures for tabletop wargames, such as Warhammer Fantasy Battle. ... For the tabletop games, see Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000. ...

As a guideline, around 10 minutes in Dettol is suitable for loosening the majority of the paint and the process can be repeated to remove the remnants if desired. The Dettol used can be stored and reused for stripping miniatures.

References

1. ^ Dr. Mike Thompson Molecule of the Month: Dettol
2. ^ Lester Haines 'Dettol Man' cleans himself to death

External links

• Thompson, M. Dettol - Molecule of the Month
• Official Site: - Dettol www.dettol.co.uk