Disinfection is a very convenient yet crucial hygiene strategy to prevent microbial contamination. Covid 19 and its new emerging strains have boosted the demand for disinfectant products like sanitizers, hand rubs and sprays.
Market is flooded with innumerable disinfectant product options to choose from. With all of the label hypes such as “ kills 99.9% of germs” and confusing terminology, it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed to know which product is most effective for usage.
Being able to decipher terms can help customers choose antimicrobial products that give them the desired protection from germs/pathogens.
You’ll find everything you need to decode a disinfectant labels based on the usage (Domestic/Textile cleaning/medical) –
- Limited spectrum activity – This implies that disinfectant is effective against only a specific major group of microorganisms.
- Broad spectrum activity – Also referred to as “general disinfectant”. Such types of disinfectants are effective against a broad range of microorganisms including gram positive and gram negative bacteria, viruses and fungi.
- One step cleaner disinfectants – Unlike two step disinfection processes, single step cleaner disinfectants provide the benefits of cleaning and disinfection in one go. These products are tested in the presence of organic soils to ensure their efficacy claims. Although, pre-cleaning needs to be done before using any disinfectant for heavy soiled surfaces.
- Dwell time – It refers to the amount of time a disinfectant requires to adhere on the intended surface to properly disinfect it. And the dwell time may vary from product to product, ideally ranging between 30 seconds to 15 minutes. Many times disinfectant products are not used for the given dwell time, this subsequently leaves many germs behind even after disinfection. In order to avoid improper disinfection, consumer must pay attention to check dwell times on products labels.
- EPA registered – Disinfectant products intended for use on environmental surfaces are regulated by EPA. The registration process validates the efficacy claims made by manufacturers on product labels, this is critical for safe and effective use.
If you are in a need of antimicrobial efficacy services for your disinfectant products, we are here to help you.
Also Read: How Do Laboratories Tests the Efficacy of Disinfectants
Microbe Investigations Switzerland (MIS) provides a comprehensive range of testing services for handrubs, hand sanitizers, surface disinfectants, and other disinfectants intended for medical use.
Our goal is to provide analytical solutions to challenges appearing in innovation and development of antimicrobial disinfectant products. We conduct in depth research and set up experiments as per international standards that satisfy the compliance needs in terms of quality and safety and support successful development of new products for our clients.
To find more about our disinfectant testing services, contact our experts now.
