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Hard-working cleaning products for lazy cleaners: Let 1 billion cleaning helpers continue...
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When you hear the word bacteria, it can trigger mixed feelings. On the one hand, you might think of illness. But on the other, bacteria can be beneficial, supporting a healthier environment in a natural way. That’s exactly what we're doing with our products.
But we know that not everyone is immediately convinced. We sometimes hear from customers who ask: are the bacteria safe to breathe in? A fair question - so we put it to the test.
Our bacteria hold GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status, meaning they’re considered safe to use. They’re even food-grade, so if you were to ingest them by accident, they wouldn’t be harmful. But what happens if you inhale them? Are they still as safe?
While bacteria play an essential role in our health and environment, inhalation can trigger different responses in the body, depending on concentration and exposure. That’s why we conducted a scientific study to examine how our unique bacterial mix interacts with the respiratory system - proving that they’re safe for daily use.
We also want to help pave the way for microbial cleaners to become eligible for an EU Ecolabel - which is currently not possible due to a lack of clear regulations. To do this, we conducted a proof-of-concept study to analyse the impact of our bacteria in detail.
The result? Good bacteria that don’t just clean effectively - they do so safely.
No time to read the full study? Here are the most important findings at a glance:
Now, let’s dive into how we conducted the study and what we tested.
We focused on acute lung toxicity, meaning the immediate effects on lung cells after a single exposure. This helps us determine how the respiratory system reacts to our spray and whether there are any risks associated with daily use.
To conduct this study, we used advanced lab technology to expose human bronchial cells (MucilAir™) to our multi-purpose spray. We tested four different sample types:
What is CFU? CFU stands for colony-forming units, a measure of the number of live bacteria present. One CFU represents one bacterium (or a small group) that can grow into a visible colony.
To simulate real-world exposure, the cleaning products were applied directly to bronchial cells. The cells were then incubated for 24 hours—a much longer exposure than what typically happens in daily life. In reality, only a tiny fraction of airborne cleaner particles reach the lungs. However, this extreme test allowed us to observe any potential risks in a worst-case scenario.
We also want to highlight that no animal testing was used in this study. By working with human bronchial cells, we recreated real-life conditions as accurately as possible—although no lab test can perfectly reflect real-world exposure.
The cell membrane acts as a protective barrier. If it’s damaged, cells become more vulnerable. We measured this using Transepithelial Electrical Resistance (TEER)—a lower TEER value means more damage.
✔️ Our spray caused only mild disruptions due to surfactants.
✔️ Membrane integrity was better preserved than in cells exposed to conventional cleaning products.
We tracked cell damage by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), an enzyme that leaks out when membranes are damaged.
✔️ Our spray caused less LDH release than conventional products, suggesting a milder toxicological profile.
✔️ Some minor cell damage (up to 15%) was observed, but this was expected. In contrast, commercial cleaners caused significantly more damage.
✔️ LDH levels were identical with and without bacteria, confirming that the bacteria themselves did not contribute to extra cell stress.
We tested how many cells remained healthy after exposure using a PrestoBlue® assay, which measures metabolic activity.
✔️ Cell viability ranged from 39-65% after exposure to our spray—significantly better than commercial cleaners.
✔️ Commercial products resulted in 0% viability—total cell death.
✔️ The bacteria had no negative effect on viability.
Cilia are tiny hair-like structures in the lungs that help clear out dust, bacteria, and other particles. Their movement is crucial for respiratory health.
✔️ Our spray preserved up to 69% of normal ciliary activity.
✔️ Commercial cleaners completely disrupted this function, likely due to cell damage.
This suggests that our cleaner has a significantly milder impact on lung function compared to conventional products.
Like any cleaning product that contains surfactants, a certain level of cell stress is expected. However, our study confirms that YOKUU’s spray is far gentler on lung cells than conventional alternatives—and that our bacterial mix does not introduce additional risks.
It’s also worth remembering that you inhale millions of bacteria every day. The beneficial bacteria in YOKUU’s spray are designed to fit right into this natural balance, making cleaning safer for both your home and your lungs.
This study is a proof-of-concept, designed to provide initial insights into inhalation safety. The methods used follow standards applied by VITO for inhalation toxicity testing. While no official regulatory guidelines exist for microbial cleaners yet, we see this research as an important step toward further validation.
When you hear the word bacteria, it can trigger mixed feelings. On the one hand, you might think of illness. But on the other, bacteria can be beneficial, supporting a...
When you hear the word bacteria, it can trigger mixed feelings. On the one hand, you might think of illness. But on the other, bacteria can be beneficial, supporting a...
Microbes are everywhere - in the air, on our skin, and even in our cleaning products (hello, YOKUU!). But did you know that 2024 was another year full of surprises...
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