Our last blog talked about three of the most important criteria for selecting the right Multi-Purpose cleaner for you. As a reminder, here they are:
Clean, THEN Disinfect
Today, we'll talk about the second point. A few important things to get clear up front: first, cleaning and disinfecting are two separate things. Per CDC recommendations, you should always clean and THEN disinfect. We have written quite a few blogs on this topic. If you want to explore it more, here’s a recent one that talks about its importance during a pandemic. But, for now, just know that you need to clean a surface. And THEN, you need to use a sanitizer or disinfectant. Now, you may be using the same product for both steps.
For example, our H2Orange2 products are sanitizers and virucides in addition to being general cleaners for 95% of your needs. You can do most of your cleaning with the GREEN light-duty dilution. Then, you hit the high-touch points (such as handles, doorknobs, desktops) with the RED heavy-duty dilution to achieve those products' virucide and sanitization effects.
Sanitizers vs. Virucides vs. Disinfectants
Another critical point here is that, although they are sometimes used interchangeably, a sanitizer isn't the same as a disinfectant. We have a blog and a chart that goes over the differences between different types of products.
But, in a nutshell:
- Sanitizers REDUCE the number of bacteria to a level considered safe by public health organizations
- Virucides KILL viruses
- Disinfectants KILL fungi, bacteria, and viruses
Okay, so how does this relate to my cleaning product selection?
Good question! You should think about your cleaning products as a program. It's never about one product. It's about the combination of products you need to get the job done. We have always been proud of how simple our cleaning system is. It's easy to train and easy to use. You start with your primary multi-purpose cleaner, then add a disinfectant or other specialty cleaners as needed.
As we covered last time, we have multi-purpose cleaners that are EPA registered. And we have cleaners that are Green Certified. But they can’t be both. So when choosing the right multi-purpose cleaning product, one of the essential questions you need to ask is this:
What bacteria, fungi, and viruses do I need to combat in my facility? And where?
Answering this question will help in a few ways:
- If you just want some general sanitization, then H2Orange2 is an excellent product for you. Assuming you don't need the Green Certification.
- If you need to kill specific bacteria, fungi, and viruses, then H2Orange2 could still be a great product, but you’ll want to consult the specifics on its label and efficacy documentation.
- If you need to kill specific contaminants NOT covered by H2Orange2 or want to use a Green Certified cleaner, then your best bet is pairing one of our Green Certified cleaners with a disinfectant.
When you choose a disinfectant, you’ll want to look at its label efficacy sheet (when available) and consult the company’s website for updated claims, such as those for COVID-19. You can see our full line of disinfectants, which are compatible with our products and can take care of a wide variety of contaminants.
Next time, we'll talk about something that might seem like a lesser concern but can actually make a significant difference to building occupants.