5 Step Disinfecting Program

Disinfection is much more complicated than spraying a surface and getting results. Every environment, surface, and application requires a different process to ensure the treatment is as effective as possible. The disinfection process requires precision and expertise. As the industry leader, you can trust that our high-quality services will provide you, your customers, and employees a clean and healthy facility. 

Sanitization:  requires the removal of organic material and other dirt from surfaces. This cleaning removes microorganisms and organic substrates that allow them to grow. Once surfaces are cleaned, sanitizing can be done to eliminate the microbes remaining. Dirty surfaces protect microbes from sanitizers. Cleaning is the first step to using various sanitizing methods, such as steam and hot water, ultraviolet light, and liquids. Sanitizing means the reduction of occurrence and growth of microorganisms on a surface. Bacteria and other organisms are reduced by 99.9%. 

Disinfection: kill or inactivate microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, on inert surfaces. Some common disinfecting agents do not inactivate bacterial spores, but products that include hydrogen peroxide control bacteria's spore stage. Disinfectants work by destroying the cell wall of microbes or interfere with their metabolism. Disinfection means to kill nearly 100% of the microorganisms on a surface. The bacteria and other organisms are reduced by 99.9999%.

Chemicals and concentration: The product label directions for mixing and applying disinfectant chemicals must be followed carefully. The label provides information on preparing the proper attention, determining contact time and its toxicity to microorganisms. Some disinfectants are single chemical formulations, while others may be combinations of two or three chemicals; each has a role to play in the mixture. Commercial formulations of single or multiple-ingredient chemicals are unique and have specific mixing and application directions. Before application, the user must read and understand the label completely and follow all safety precautions. These products are registered with the EPA or cleared by the FDA.

Disinfectants target a broad spectrum of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, depending on their active ingredient. The 1 to 15-minute contact time is linked to the active ingredient(s) and formulation. The higher the concentration, the greater the efficacy, and the shorter the time to achieve a microbial kill. Reducing half the concentration of a quaternary ammonium compound requires doubling its disinfecting time, but cutting by half the concentration of a phenol solution increases its disinfecting time. The EPA has established protocols that allow antimicrobial product developers to register disinfection and sanitizer products intended for fogging or misting applications. The protocol confirms a product's antimicrobial efficacy against public health organisms when tested in a dedicated fogging and misting testing room. The EPA did not require manufacturers to submit data when fogging or misting product claims were registered in the past. The EPA Pesticide Program now requires disinfection claims to be substantiated by submitting GLP-compliant data to demonstrate efficacy when the product is applied using a fogging or misting device.