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Surface DisinfectionSurface disinfectant products are used for surface disinfection, which refers to the application of chemical disinfectants to surfaces in order to sanitise them. This disinfection differs from aerosol/dry-fogging and water disinfection in terms of the requirements for the disinfectant as well as the mode of application. As a rule, it is assumed that this type of disinfection primarily involves treating easy-to-clean, washable and chemical-resistant surfaces.
The following applications always require disinfection with surface disinfectant products:
What should be disinfected with surface disinfectant products, when, how, by whom and with what – all of this must be specified in a hygiene plan. A hygiene plan typically includes all surfaces which a) are exposed to elevated contact with pathogenic materials, and b) which are exposed to frequent skin contact. (Contact surfaces)
While hygienists and disinfection professionals are usually responsible for hospital surface disinfection and disinfection in the aforementioned facilities, unfortunately this is generally less often the case in public institutions (administrations, kindergartens), offices/industry and private households.
In these areas, people often play fast and loose with disinfection of surfaces due to incorrect, improper and exaggerated disinfection practices.
The chief culprit here is usually inadequate knowledge of microbiology and disinfectants. Correct application of surface disinfectant products makes any type of disinfection many times more effective and less harmful for the environment and consumers.
Examples of surfaces in high-risk areas which should be considered for disinfection:
Dirt substantially reduces the effectiveness of any disinfectant on all surfaces. The motto here is, „You can’t disinfect dirt“. Dust, grease, blood and other surface contaminants create an ideal protective layer for all microorganisms that shields them against disinfectants. Cleaning removes these protective layers, providing an avenue for surface disinfectant products and boosting the effectiveness of surface disinfection in general.
Simply cleaning a surface thoroughly with water and curd soap, without disinfectants, removes up to 99% of the pathogens. So, disinfection and surface cleaning go hand in hand.
In other words, only disinfection of surface that is properly planned and carried out regularly and consistently with appropriate expertise will be demonstrably successful. Arbitrary surface disinfection without a plan only promotes pathogen resistance and wastes a large part of the disinfectant’s spectrum of activity. Bacteria in particular respond rapidly and ruthlessly to inconsistently applied hygiene concepts and inappropriate surface disinfection methods.
Sprayed disinfection of cleaned surfaces is very popular, but has the significant disadvantage that the surfaces are not covered fully and that undesired aerosols may develop. Therefore, the spray-and-wipe method should be used whenever possible for optimal surface disinfection.
In private settings, incorrect or unsuitable products are frequently used for surfaces. It has become almost fashionable to use sanitary and kitchen cleaners with added disinfectants (usually benzalkonium chloride or another quaternary ammonium compound). However, these products are typically used in a non-targeted manner and are often too weak to properly disinfect surfaces. Advertising claims such as „Removes 99.9% of bacteria“ sound impressive, but in practice are rarely realistic given the brief exposure times. In fact, when used in this manner they merely promote resistant germs.
Sanosil AG not only supplies the correct disinfectants, but also offers a free consultation regarding their optimal usage as well as useful tips about benefits of surface disinfection.
As a rule, the ingredients in all surface disinfectant products are designed to optimally wet surfaces; however merely spraying them on means their germ-killing potential is never fully exploited. In contrast, if the surface – having been cleaned thoroughly beforehand – is additionally disinfected by wiping (such as with cloths, surface disinfectant wipes or mops coated in disinfectant), this mechanical application not only serves to optimally wet the surfaces but also to break open the thicker, germ-covered layers. For example, there may be dried droplets of sputum in a waiting room resulting from patients sneezing or coughing. Therefore, disinfection by wiping – or spraying and wiping – is the ideal means of surface disinfection.
A wide range of surface disinfectant products is available on the market. A basic distinction is made here between cleaning agents, disinfectants and disinfectant cleaners. All of them have their own specific suitability, as well as certain advantages and disadvantages.
Cleaning agents primarily remove dirt and grease. They have a powerful cleaning effect, must usually be rinsed off to prevent them from adhering to the surfaces and have only a weak disinfection effect. This type of germ control is referred to as decontamination.
Disinfectants are primarily responsible for the elimination of pathogens on surfaces. They typically have only a modest cleansing effect (an exception being alcohol or alcohol-based disinfectants intended for use on small surfaces) and therefore require thorough preliminary cleaning. Since disinfectants can be „left“ on the surfaces, they may also have a certain protective effect depending on the product.
Disinfectant cleaners are dual-use products. The idea here is to carry out disinfection and cleaning in a single operation. However, since these products are neither „fish nor fowl“, they are usually somewhat less effective than a thorough two-step process that includes cleaning followed by disinfection. However, they do save time. For certain applications, such as floor disinfection or disinfection of smaller surfaces (wipes), disinfectant cleaners are the preferred choice.
