39 Percent of Americans Use Cleanersbr and Disinfectants in Risky Ways br Since Pandemic The findings were revealed br in a report released by the br Centers for Disease Control br and Prevention (CDC). The use of disinfectants has br greatly increased since the beginning br of the coronavirus pandemic. Several risky uses of bleach and br disinfectants were reported by nearly br half of those surveyed. The risky behaviors include using bleach to br wash fruit and vegetables, and washing hands br with bleach or disinfectants. Other risky uses include "misting" br one's body and gargling with such products. The behaviors likely contributed br greatly to a 20 percent increase in br calls to poison control centers from br January to March of this year.