Walmart recalls Better Homes & Gardens aromatherapy room spray

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced that Better Homes and Gardens Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones is being recalled following two deaths that may be linked to the product.

Walmart, which carries the Better Homes and Gardens brand, is recalling 3,900 bottles of Better Homes and Gardens-branded aromatherapy spray with gemstones. If you have purchased or been gifted these room sprays, please check out the following recall information as it could be extremely important for your health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tested bottles of the Better Homes and Gardens Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones and found the presence of the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei. This bacteria is found in contaminated water and soil, generally in tropical areas like Southeast Asia and parts of Australia. The only places that the bacteria is found naturally in the United States are Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Burkholderia pseudomallei can cause melioidosis, also called Whitmore’s disease, and it can infect both humans and animals. Signs of melioidosis include fever, cough, chest pain, headache, loss of appetite, seizures and more. (For a full list of signs and symptoms of melioidosis, please visit the CDC website.)

Because melioidosis is so rare in the United States, the CDC began investigating when cases cropped up in Kansas, Minnesota, Texas and Georgia. Four different households experienced an outbreak, and tragically, two of these melioidosis cases ended in death, including a child.

The Better Homes and Gardens Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones was sold in 55 Walmart stores and on Walmart’s website between February and Oct. 21, 2021. While it was the Better Homes and Gardens Lavender & Chamomile aromatherapy room spray that was found in the home of the Georgia victim, all scents in this line are now being recalled, including the following:

84140411420 — Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lavender & Chamomile

84140411421 — Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lemon and Mandarin

84140411422 — Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lavender

84140411423 — Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Peppermint

84140411424 — Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lime & Eucalyptus

84140411425 — Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Sandalwood and Vanilla

If you have bought this product, here is what the CDC recommends: Do not attempt to discard or throw away the bottle in the garbage. Instead, put on a pair of gloves, and double-bag the bottle in two zip-top bags before placing it in a cardboard box. You can take it back to Walmart for a full refund.

Then, come home and wash any linens, towels and clothes that may have come into contact with the spray. Wipe down counters and any other areas that may have been impacted. Wash your hands well after you dispose of your cleaning gloves.

You can read more on the Consumer Product Safety Commission website here.