Harpic cautions against COVID threat if we turn a blind eye to unclean toilets

It’s the most shared space at home, and also the most germ, bacteria and virus-infested one.

The last five to seven months are best expressed through our new habits. Regular washing of hands, always wearing a mask outside, frequent sanitisation of high-frequency touchpoints, maintaining social distancing and, of course, spending maximum time indoors.

We are taking all possible precautions against germs, bacteria and viruses. But what about our toilets?

On June 16, 2020, the New York Times quoted a research published in the journal Physics of Fluids as saying, “… adds to growing evidence that the Coronavirus can be passed not only through respiratory droplets, but through virus-laden faeces, too.”

We’re bound to stay indoors for a while and, thus, our toilets become the most shared, and germ and bacteria-infested part of our homes. It’s, therefore, imperative to make sure that our toilets are not just clean, but also disinfected to the highest sanitisation grade available.

In its 100th year, Harpic, the toiler cleaner brand from Reckitt Benckiser (now RB), has released three ads for its ‘Saaf Nahi Swachh’ campaign. Featuring Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, each ad details the risks of an unclean toilet and positions Harpic as the most effective solution.

Here, Kumar inspects a toilet cleaned with detergent and says that it hasn’t removed tough stains and germs, and wasted water too. He, then, suggests Harpic 10x MAX Clean, which removes tough stains, uses one-fourth water, and kills 99.9 per cent of germs and COVID causing Coronavirus.

This 20-second compares the effectiveness of an expensive detergent and Harpic All Rounder to clean two dirty bathrooms. As expected, the RB toilet cleaner trumps the expensive detergent.

In the third ad, Kumar lauds us for following all the precautions mandated to check Coronavirus’ spread. But, he cautions against turning a blind eye to our toilets because if we don’t clean them, we will fall sick.

In a press release, the brand said, “Both, Harpic Toilet Cleaner and Harpic Bathroom Cleaner have been tested by internationally accredited external laboratories. They have been proven to effectively kill 99.9 per cent of germs and the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus when used undiluted.”

Sukhleen Aneja, CMO and marketing director, RB Hygiene, South Asia, said, “Over the last 100 years, Harpic has been a champion in providing access to clean and hygienic sanitation solutions across the world. Its communication has been focused on driving behaviour change. With our new ‘Saaf Nahi Swachh’ campaign, we’d like consumers to adopt superior disinfection at home to keep their loved ones protected.”

“Harpic’s range of toilet and bathroom cleaners not only provide superior cleaning and disinfection, but have also been found effective at killing the COVID-19 virus while being extremely water-efficient versus commonly used detergents,” Aneja added.

Skand Saksena, director R&D, RB Hygiene, South Asia, said, “Harpic plays an important role in providing superior solutions that effectively clean and disinfect toilets/bathrooms. Both, Harpic Toilet Cleaner and Harpic Bathroom Cleaner have been scientifically proven to successfully kill SARS-CoV-2 virus when used undiluted. These products, therefore, play a contributory role in protecting homes and families during this tough time.”

The Harpic campaign has been created by Havas Media.