Of major concern to health care, school, foodservice, and other workers in our industry, is cleaning and hard surface disinfection. In this section, we present an overview of some of the key factors surrounding this issue.

After all­ "The dirt you see makes you mad. The dirt you don't see makes you sick".

· Sanitizer- destroys 99.999% of all microbes present in 30 seconds.

· Disinfectant- destroys 100% of all actively growing microbes, but not en- dospores.

· Sterilant- destroys all forms of microbial life including spores.

We recommend you use detergent/ disinfectants that have excellent cleaning capability since sanitizers do not deliver a 100% kill, and sterilants are poor cleaners and are too expensive.

Not all registered, "hospital-type" disinfectants are equal in terms of the number of microbes they destroy or in their label claims. We feel that the above is a bare minimum rating and that an effective disinfectant should include claims to kill other bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Consider blood serum and hard water tolerance also.

Check to ensure the product is "registered" and compare label claims. Does the product carry a Drug Identification Number (D.I.N.)? More importantly, does it carry a Pest Control Product (P.C.P.) number issued by Agriculture Canada? In order to obtain the latter, a product must pass stringent tests designed by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Many consider E.P.A. registration, based on the stringent tests mandated by this organization a plus. In any case, a manufacturer should support claims with written reports and technical data indicating:

· if and how it is registered;

· what test methods it has used to achieve such registration;

· exactly what the disinfectant can do under test and, if possible, real-world conditions.

Check labels for microorganism effectiveness. Compare the dilution ratios for cleaning and disinfection. Check the soil load and hard water tolerances as well as odour counteractant capability.

Because you are disinfecting "dirty" surfaces with tap water dilutions. Dirt (organic matter) and hard water salts tend to deactivate or "use up" the disinfectant molecules before they can kill microorganisms. Use disinfectants formulated for organic load and hard water deactivation so that they kill microorganisms under tough situations.

There are a number of alternatives: sodium hypochlorite (bleach), products registered to be tuberculocidal (for example Airkem STAT III), and products effective against HIV-1. Review disinfectant labels and literature to ensure the products you use meet these guidelines.

No. To be rated as a "one-step" cleaner/ disinfectant, testing must show that the disinfectant retains efficacy in the presence of a 5% organic load. To find this data, check the product label, literature, and brochures.

No. Some 1/2 ounce per gallon disinfectants require a precleaning step while others don't. Also, there are a wide range of differences in other label claims...hard water tolerance, soil load, registered microorganisms. Always check the labels and use dilution.

Effective against TB microbe

Irritating to skin­Toxic

Depigmentation of skin

Causes hyperbilirubinemia in infants

Poor water solubility causes ineffective disinfection

Here are the basics. Follow proper storage and handling procedures. Insist on frequent hand-washing. Sanitize all food contact surfaces with a no-rinse quat disinfectant/ sanitizer. Keep dumpsters free of insects and microbes. Airkem's F/H, or S.C. Johnson's J512 are good product choices for dietary.

Disinfection efficacy is the same as in hospitals. Disinfectants should tolerate high soil loads, hard water and be non-toxic. Once again, proper hand washing is critical. In animal research labs, disinfectants with odour counteractants should be used to prevent problems with chemical analysis. Airkem's A-456-N is a suitable product choice for veterinary areas.

Most pathogenic bacteria are spread via hand contact, not from hard surfaces. In a health care facility, all people should carefully follow hand washing procedures after direct contact with any patient. This includes nursing staff, doctors, technicians, other employees, other patients, and even visitors. The primary success of a hand washing procedure is dependent on attitude and education, without which no hand washing program will be effective. Ensure both the products and procedures you use promote effective hand washing.

No. First, good housekeeping procedures do not address odours that emanate from patients (eg. cancer, burns, gangrene). Housekeeping cannot be everywhere at once. Problem odours (eg. incontinency) will spread faster than a containment crew can cover. Finally, many objectionable odours have no relation to housekeeping. These include cigarette smoke, lab chemicals, food service exhaust, etc.

EXAMPLE: Which has the lower in-use cost:

(A) A $21.00/ gallon, 1/2 oz (1:256) dilution with automatic preset control OR (B) A $9.50/ gallon, 2 oz (1:64) dilution with no dilution control.

A. Divide $21.00/ gallon by 256 = 0.08203 use cost/ gallon. 0.08203 x zero waste factor = 0.08203 use cost / gallon.

B. Divide $9.50 by 64 = 0.1484 use cost/ gallon. 0.1484 x 1.25 waste factor (ISSA data) = .1855 use cost/ gallon.

Although disinfectant A costs 121% more per gallon of concentrate, it will save 56% in actual in use cost. The "waste factor" can be eliminated by using a proportioning system.

Selecting the right disinfectant to suit the specific needs of your facility or area involves careful assessment of many factors, including:

The degree of microorganism destruction required; the nature of the item to be "treated"; the cost and ease of usage of a particular product; odour control needs - all play a vital part in selecting the right product for the job.

Ongoing, in - service training and education are important issues too. Does your supplier back his products up with these services?