We’ve all been in a situation where medications we’re planning to take fall on the floor. It could be for any reason, some of which might not be our fault. So, how do you sanitize pills that fell on the floor?
There’s no special way to sanitize a pill that fell on the floor. Simply wipe it with a paper towel, and you’re good to go. Of course, it’s only safe to use a pill that fell on the floor if it’s in a clean place and it’s not wet. Don’t make any extra attempt to sanitize, as this may cause more harm.
While you don’t need to clean the pills, you might have to be careful with cleaning the floor it fell on. Here, we discuss whether it’s safe to use a pill that fell, whether sanitizing such pills is necessary, and everything you should know about keeping your medicine safe.
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Is it safe to use a pill that falls on the floor?
This is likely the first question that comes to your mind when the pill falls on the floor. On most occasions, it can be safe to take a pill that has been on the floor. But that’ll depend on the place and how soon you pick it up. You can pick it up and use it if it’s a fairly clean floor, such as a house floor. But if it’s inside a toilet or in a hospital, it’s not advisable to pick it up.
The amount of time the pill spends on the floor also matters. If pills have been on the floor for hours or days before you noticed, it’s not advisable to still use the medication. But if you notice when the pills fall and it’s in the right place, you can quickly pick them up, and they’ll still be safe for you. If the pills fall in a particularly dirty or wet place, you shouldn’t make any attempt to sanitize them. Use a replacement pill. And if you don’t have, go and get an earlier refill or replacement. It helps to take the dropped pills along if it’s narcotics, so you have proof of what happened. It’s important to pick up fallen pills as soon as possible if you have pets and children.
How to Clean Pill That Fell on the Floor?
If your pill should fall in a fairly safe area, the simple way to clean it is to wipe off the dirt using a paper towel, dust it off, or rub it off. Pills usually have a smooth, hard and non-porous, so it’s easy to wipe them free of dirt. You can use a paper towel to do this or just dust it off. Beyond that, there’s no special way to disinfect a pill. But if you can notice visible dirt or it’s wet, it may be better to throw it away and get another one.
Is It Necessary to Clean Pill That Fell on The Floor?
You don’t necessarily need to clean your pills before using them if it falls on the floor. As long as it’s an average floor and there are no serious germs, you can use it without sanitizing it. The stomach is capable of handling any germ in a normal environment. While the environment for producing pills is extremely clean, they don’t necessarily have to be sterile before you use them. Almost everything you eat isn’t necessarily sterile, but your stomach acid can usually handle it.
Sanitizing your medicine isn’t necessarily advisable because it could cause more harm. Anything that can kill germs could also destroy any of the active ingredients in the drug, making it completely useless. It could also react with the pill negatively, poisoning you rather than making the medicine even more dangerous for you. In addition, the pills stop being sterile once you break the seal on them. It can come in contact with some germs, even if you only put them in your hand.
Cleaning the Floor
If a pill falls on the floor, you might also consider cleaning the floor. Pills consist of chemical compounds which can break down and then mix with other particles. So an otherwise harmless pill can break down and combine with other things in the atmosphere and become harmful when you inhale it. You need to be careful with how clean the floor where pill drops are.
It’s advisable not to vacuum the pill off the floor, even though this might be easy and simple. Vacuuming could make it more harmful because it turns into a microscopic powder that you can inhale even as you’re cleaning up. Just like vacuuming, you shouldn’t use bleach to clean pills. If a pill is stuck on the floor, perhaps due to being there for a long time, you may want to clean the spot it has made on your carpet or floor. But bleach breaks down the pill and releases the chemical ingredients in it. You can inhale these ingredients while trying to clean.
If a pill falls on the floor, you can easily pick it up with suction or even your hands. But when it comes to cleaning the floor, it’s advisable to first use a wet paper towel or cloth to wipe the area. This removes any dust or dirt particles and limits your chance of inhaling the particles.
How To Store Your Medicine
It’s important to keep your medications properly stored to be effective and prevent them from falling on the floor. That’s why it’s important to keep them in the original container or tight lid bottles. Even if the bottle should fall, it’s less likely to spill to the floor. Beyond that, you should also store drugs in a cool and dry place. Light, air, moisture, and heat may damage the medicine. So, keep drugs away from places with heat and moisture. You may also get specific instructions on storage from your pharmacists.
In Conclusion
Sanitizing pills after falling isn’t a complex process. All you need is to wipe away any dirt, and you’re good to go. Just make sure that the pill falls in a fairly clean place.
