The worst part about cleaning is that it’s never done. As soon as one area or object has been cleaned, another dirty one takes its place. Just ask any parent, teacher, or anyone who spends time with kids. Antimicrobial products look to help solve this issue with claims to kill pathogens for days, weeks, or even months, but those claims aren’t always as good as they seem.
Cleaning and disinfecting have always been an important task and the COVID-19 pandemic has only amplified this. Companies are now beginning to introduce new products and services designed to prolong virus and bacterial eliminating effects between use. It’s important to understand what these new claims actually mean and how they affect you before choosing to use one of these new features.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is very specific about the claims and buzzwords that can be made on a cleaning product label when they relate to public health. Claims like “kills 99.9% of surface bacteria” need to be verified and approved by the EPA, while non-public health claims like “best smelling product” do not.
These are three common categories when it comes to claims of residual or long-lasting effects.
Label Buzzwords: Bacteriostatic, mildewstatic, fungistatic
What it means: Not much. This is not an approved public health claim, but indicates that it should render growth of organisms “static” or stopped, but doesn’t necessarily kill germs.
Label Buzzwords: Residual sanitization or Residual self-sanitizer
What it means: This is an approved public health claim. This means it will kill 99.99% of bacteria on surfaces for up to 24 hours.
Label Buzzwords: Residual disinfection or Continuous disinfection
What it means: This is another public health claim. This means it will continue to kill bacteria on surfaces for up to 24 hours.
It’s also important to know that while those claims sound great, they only apply to bacteria and fungus, not viruses.
In addition to antimicrobial products that claim residual effects, there are also products that claim to have inherent protection or resistance to pathogens. These are often known as treated articles and treatments can be incorporated into surfaces (like an odor-resistance trash bag) or applied on top like a coating. These claims are most often used to address appearance-related issues like discoloration, smells, or stains. Products like this will not have an EPA registration as according to the EPA, “treated articles cannot claim they are effective against viruses and bacteria that cause human illness. This means they are not appropriate for controlling COVID-19.”
Keeping your family and loved ones safe and healthy is more important than ever and choosing the right products is the first step. While daily cleaning is important, we’re here to help when you need a little extra care. Our EPA-registered disinfectants and skilled technicians will deliver the sanitize home, office, or municipal building you deserve. Contact us today or schedule online.