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On June 29, 2026, Intercon Chemical Co. of St. Louis, Missouri initiated a voluntary recall of six hand soap products, including the Clearly Better by Intercon Foaming Pear Hand Soap with Aloe, due to possible bacterial contamination [1]. On September 11, 2026, the FDA classified the recall as Class II, meaning exposure to the affected products may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences. The FDA enforcement report confirmed potential contamination with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas monteilii, Serratia marcescens, or Serratia nematodiphila [2].
What Product Is Affected?
The recall covers the following Clearly Better by Intercon product distributed to commercial facilities and wholesalers:
- Product: Clearly Better by Intercon Foaming Pear Hand Soap with Aloe
- Size: 1000 mL / 34 fl. oz.
- UPC: 789745002615
- Lot Codes: 26-01001 and 26-01803
- Best By Dates: March 13, 2028 and March 28, 2028
- Cases Recalled: 370
The recalled product was distributed through 19 wholesalers and one retail location across 16 states, including California, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. With 370 cases recalled — the largest case count of any single product in the six-product Intercon recall — the Clearly Better product represents the broadest potential exposure footprint in this recall.
The “Clearly Better” Branding Problem
Intercon Chemical Co. markets this product under the “Clearly Better” brand — a name that signals environmental responsibility, ingredient transparency, and formulation quality. That branding is specifically designed to appeal to institutional buyers — schools, healthcare facilities, offices, and other organizations committed to using greener, safer cleaning products.
A product marketed as “clearly better” that turns out to be contaminated with drug-resistant opportunistic pathogens presents a specific and legally significant gap between the promise and the product. Institutional buyers who selected this soap precisely because of its cleaner, safer brand positioning made a purchasing decision based on representations that the recall has now directly contradicted.
Shared Lot Codes Across Multiple Products
One of the most significant details of this recall is that lot code 26-01001 appears on both the Clearly Better by Intercon product and the Laura Lynn Foaming Pear Scent Hand Soap with Moisturizers — two different brands with different UPCs, sizes, and distribution channels, but sharing the same production lot. That shared lot code points to a common manufacturing batch as the source of contamination across multiple branded products.
Lot code 26-01803 also appears on the Intercon Foaming Pear Hand Soap With Aloe — a third product in the same recall. This cross-brand, cross-product contamination pattern further supports the conclusion that the contamination originated at the manufacturing level rather than in any individual product’s formulation or packaging.
The Bacteria in This Recall
The five bacterial strains identified in the FDA enforcement report — Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas monteilii, Serratia marcescens, and Serratia nematodiphila — are opportunistic pathogens capable of causing skin infections, wound infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia, particularly in vulnerable individuals [3]. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is particularly concerning in healthcare-adjacent and school settings where immunocompromised individuals and children may be present.
Incidents and Injuries
No specific illnesses have been publicly reported in connection with the Clearly Better by Intercon product as of the September 21, 2026 TODAY coverage date. Individuals who used the recalled soap and developed skin infections, wound infections, or other adverse health effects should contact their healthcare provider promptly and report the incident to the FDA’s MedWatch program at 800-FDA-1088.
What Should Facilities Do?
Facilities and distributors that received the recalled Clearly Better by Intercon Foaming Pear Hand Soap with Aloe should immediately check inventory and dispensers for lot codes 26-01001 and 26-01803 and remove all matching product from service. Any dispensers that held the recalled soap should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before being refilled with a non-recalled product.
Can I File a Lawsuit?
Consumers, workers, or facility occupants who developed infections or other adverse health consequences after using recalled Clearly Better by Intercon Foaming Pear Hand Soap with Aloe may have significant legal options against Intercon Chemical Co. and related distributors. Contact an attorney promptly to have your case evaluated.
References
1. https://www.today.com/shop/hand-soap-recall-september-2026-rcna598321
2. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/ires/?Event=99466
3. https://www.cdc.gov/pseudomonas-aeruginosa/about/index.html