Before you do anything, if you have a bottle of Better Homes and Gardens Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones, immediately stop using it and read this.
Walmart is conducting a nationwide recall of 3,900 bottles of the popular aromatherapy room spray after four reported cases of illness and two deaths that are currently being investigated as linked to the bacterial infection caused by the spray.
So far, cases have been reported in Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota, and Texas and tragically included a child fatality.
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the spray was sold in more than 55 retail chain stores as well as online nationwide.
Customers would have been able to purchase this product between February 2021 and October 2021. According to the CDC, The popular aromatherapy room spray “contained the rare and dangerous bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei which causes melioidosis, a condition that is difficult to diagnose and can be fatal.”
The CDC has put out a bulletin advising consumers on what steps to take if they have the spray in their homes; it reads as follows:
“Consumers who have the recalled aromatherapy spray in their home should:
- Stop using this product immediately. Do not open the bottle. Do not throw away or dispose of the bottle in the regular trash.
- Double bag the bottle in clean, clear zip-top bags and place in a small cardboard box. Return the bagged and boxed product to a Walmart store.
- Wash sheets or linens that the product may have been sprayed on using normal laundry detergent and dry completely in a hot dryer; bleach can be used if desired.
- Wipe down counters and surfaces that might have the spray on them with undiluted Pine-Sol or similar disinfectant.
- Limit how much you handle the spray bottle and wash hands thoroughly after touching the bottle or linens. If you used gloves while handling the bottling or cleaning, wash hands afterward.
- If you have used the product within the past 21 days and have fever or other melioidosis symptoms, seek medical care and tell your doctor you were exposed to the spray. If you do not have symptoms but were exposed to the product in the last 7 days, your doctor may recommend that you get antibiotics (post-exposure prophylaxis) to prevent infection.”
The CPSC also detailed information on how to contact Walmart here:
“Walmart at 800-925-6278 from 7 a.m. through 9 p.m. CT any day or online at www.walmart.com and click on “Product Recalls” for more information. Walmart Inc. uses the brand Better Homes and Gardens, a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation, under license. Make inquiries and returns to Walmart.”
If you purchased an aromatherapy room spray with the Better Homes and Gardens branded label, look for the following product numbers:
- 84140411420 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lavender & Chamomile
- 84140411421 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lemon and Mandarin
- 84140411422 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lavender
- 84140411423 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Peppermint
- 84140411424 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lime & Eucalyptus
- 84140411425 Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Sandalwood and Vanilla
The spray has been confirmed to be contaminated with a potentially deadly bacteria called Burkholderia pseudomallei, which can lead to melioidosis, also called Whitmore’s disease. This disease is highly resistant to antibiotics and can be fatal.
Common signs and symptoms of Whitmore’s disease include:
- Headaches
- Fever
- Chills
- Cough
- Chest pain
- Loss of appetite
This disease is widespread in Southeast Asia as well as Northern Australia. It is thought that the room sprays were likely contaminated while being manufactured in India.
Stay safe, everyone.