Feb. 10, 1.00 p.m.
Following the previous press release on Colgate-Palmolive’s voluntary recall of 4.9 million bottles of its Fabuloso multi-purpose cleaning liquid, DLCA personally contacted various local retailers territory-wide to have them check their shelves and inventory for the affected products.
Home Depot St. Thomas and Home Depot St. Croix found the product in their inventory and have since removed it from their shelves. Consumers who have purchased the recalled Fabuloso multi-purpose cleaning liquid from either Home Depot can return the affected product along with their receipt as proof of purchase to Home Depots’ customer service.
For more information on this recall, consumers can contact Colgate-Palmolive Company at Phone: (855) 703-0166 M-F 9:00 AM-5:30 PM ET. Online at: www.fabulosorecall.com Or at www.fabuloso.com and click on the banner at the top of the page.
Feb. 9, 10:59 a.m.
Colgate-Palmolive is recalling 4.9 million bottles of its Fabuloso multi-purpose cleaning liquid because the products might be contaminated with bacteria, Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Richard Evangelista announced Thursday.
According to a recall notice posted Wednesday by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the recalled cleaners were sold nationwide from December through January.
Stores carrying Fabuloso include major retailers like Walmart, Sam’s Club, Dollar General, and Family Dollar. Locally, Fabuloso is sold throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands by almost every business with a retailer license. DLCA is ordering all retailers throughout the territory to check the lot code and UPC code of its inventory and pull the product off its shelves and refrain from selling any affected products immediately.
The brightly colored liquids, which cost between $1 and $11, are marketed for cleaning various home, kitchen, and bathroom surfaces. According to the notice, the recalled cleaners could contain Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fluorescens, bacteria commonly found in soil and water.
The germs can enter the body through wounds, eyes, and lungs, posing a risk of serious infection to people with weakened immune systems, lung conditions, or external medical devices, according to the DLCA alert.
According to CPSC and the company, people with healthy immune systems usually aren’t at risk. According to Colgate-Palmolive’s webpage for the recall, a preservative wasn’t added at the correct levels during the manufacturing process. Without enough preservatives, bacteria could grow in the cleaners, the DLCA said.
Colgate-Palmolive said any Fabuloso product you bought before Dec. 16 isn’t included in the recall; nor are any products that are not on the list below. You can confirm whether your bottle is included by checking its lot code and UPC against the list at fabuloso.com/recall, and on the DLCA website.
Fabuloso Products on Recall
The recall includes various sizes, strengths, and scents of Fabuloso Multi-Purpose Cleaning Liquid, listed below. The company said no antibacterial Fabuloso products are being recalled, and no products outside of the following list:
- Fabuloso Original Multi-Purpose Cleaner, Lavender Scent, 22 FL OZ
- Fabuloso Multi-Purpose Cleaner 2X Concentrated Formula, Lavender Scent, 56 FL OZ, 128 FL OZ, 169 FL OZ
- Fabuloso Multi-Purpose Cleaner, Lavender Scent, 210 FL OZ
- Fabuloso Professional All-Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser, Lavender Scent, 1 GALLON
- Fabuloso Original Multi-Purpose Cleaner, Refreshing Lemon Scent, 22 FL OZ
- Fabuloso Multi-Purpose Cleaner 2X Concentrated Formula, Refreshing Lemon Scent, 33.8 FL OZ, 56 FL OZ, 128 FL OZ and 169 FL OZ
- Fabuloso Multi-Purpose Cleaner 2X Concentrated Formula, Passion of Fruits Scent, 33.8 FL OZ, 56 FL OZ, 128 FL OZ and 169 FL OZ
- Fabuloso Multi-Purpose Cleaner Bleach Alternative 2X Concentrated Formula, Spring Fresh Scent, 56 FL OZ
- Fabuloso Professional All-Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser, Ocean Scent, 1 GALLON
How to Get a Refund
The company said consumers should immediately stop using the product. To get a refund, fill out an online consumer recall form and submit photos of the UPC and lot code. Then throw the bottle away.
For consumer-related issues, email DLCA at consumerawareness@dlca.vi.gov or call the Consumer Affairs Division at 340-713-3522 on St. Croix, 340-714-3522 on St. Thomas, or 340-693-8036 on St. John. Follow DLCA on Facebook at @dlcausvi.
