FIND SAFER DISINFECTANTS

The EPA through it’s Design for Environment antimicrobial pesticide certification, as well as Green Seal, a well-known 3rd party safer cleaning product certifier, has identified safer disinfectants that do not cause cancer or asthma, nor are they harmful to the environment, our waterways and aquatic life, nor do they promote development of superbugs (antibiotic resistance).

SAFE DISINFECTANT

PROS

CONS

HOCl (hypochlorous acid)

OUR CHOICE

100 times stronger than bleach

Free of toxic fragrances, additives–only salt, water and electricity

Can be used as a hand sanitizer, surface sanitizer, and disinfectant

Can be used on hard and porous surfaces, no PPE required, no rinse

Can be unstable if stored in heat

Reactive-cannot put in other containers

Harder to find currently

New manufacturing to make more stable product is not widespread

Hydrogen peroxide

Versatile

can be diluted

many H2O2 products don’t require PPE or rinse

Some products that use H2O2 contain other toxic ingredients like fragrance

Beware of disinfectants using H2O2 with toxic quats

Alcohol: Ethanol, Isopropanol

1 minute contact time

can be used in hand sanitizers and surface sanitizers and disinfectants

No PPE

Not many products available

Flammable

Made from GMO corn or petrochemicals

Citric acid

Many don’t require PPE or rinse

Hard to find products without many other toxic ingredients

Made from GMO corn

L-lactic acid

Not many options

Thymol

From the thyme plant, no PPE, no rinse

Strong scent

Hydrogen peroxide is the most versatile disinfectant and some registered disinfectants using hydrogen peroxide can kill pathogens in under a minute. Our favorite is hypochlorous acid because it is made using only salt, water, and electricity. It is free of fragrances and other chemicals, it is not a skin sensitizer, and is 100 times more effective than bleach.

Always choose a fragrance-free safer disinfectant that is approved by Green Seal and/or certified by DfE in order to make the safest choice. Fragrances often contain 15 or more potentially asthma and cancer-causing ingredients.

See http://www.womensvoices.org/beyondthelabel/ for more info.

SPECIFIC READY TO USE DISINFECTANTS WITH NON-TOXIC INGREDIENTS

Briotech Sanitizer and Disinfectant

EPA reg.#93108-1

Hypochlorous acid  (HOCl)

Direct order 

$28/gal.

 

10 minutes, no rinse Fragrance-free
Clean Smart Disinfectant Spray EPA Reg.#89896-2 Hypochlorous acid (HOCl)

Direct order

$28/32 oz.

10 minutes, no rinse Fragrance-free
Clean Republic Disinfectant & Sanitizer EPA Reg. #85134-1 Hypochlorous acid (HOCl)

Direct order

$11/32oz.

$30/gal

1 minute, no rinse needed Fragrance-free

Purell Multisurface Disinfectant Fragrance Free

EPA reg#84368-1

Ethanol WebRestaurantStore.com 1 minute, no rinse Fragrance-free
ECOS One Step Disinfectant Cleaner EPA reg. #85837-4 Hydrogen peroxide

Mollie Stones

Olivers Market

Ralphs Grocery

10 minutes then wipe clean Fragrance-free

Seventh Generation Disinfecting Cleaner with hydrogen peroxide

EPA Reg.#85837

Hydrogen peroxide Check with local grocer 10 minutes, then wipe clean Fragrance-free
Cleanwell Botanical Disinfecting Wipes and Spray Thymol Walmart, Whole Foods 10 minutes, no rinse  Has fragrane

*EPA listed contact times are not necessarily accurate for coronavirus, as they were not all tested on coronavirus, but the contact times show what their product category contact time was for pathogens that are harder-to-kill than coronavirus.

INDUSTRIAL USE DISINFECTANT

In a school setting where maintenance crews have concentrated sanitizers and disinfectants and dilution systems, there are disinfectants and sanitizers that are set up for larger scale use, as well as non-toxic alternatives such as HOCl generators and high heat/low water steam cleaners.

Green Seal, SF Approved, TURI Labs, and DfE have lists of safer industrial use disinfectants. From those lists we recommend the following:

Viking Pure Generator

Onsite generator

Hyopochlorous Acid (HOCl)

Generates a cleaner and a disinfectant from same machine using only salt, water, electricity. One unit to fill multiple containers, Fragrance-free, zero toxins.

Initial investment costs and maintenance.

Dupray Steam Cleaner

Portable steam machine

High heat, low vapor steam from tap water

For cleaning and disinfecting hard and soft surfaces, Fragrance-free, zero toxins

Initial investment is high-might need multiple units

Diversey’s Oxivir line

Wipes, sprays, concentrates

Hydrogen Peroxide

Has fragrance

Purell Professional Surface Disinfectant

Spray

Ethanol

GMO

ECOS Pro Multisurface Cleaner and Disinfectant

Spray

Citric acid

One-step cleaning and disinfecting, no rinse

Has fragrance

Wexford Labs Cleancide

Concentrate, wipes, sprays

Citric acid

One-step cleaning and disinfecting, No rinse

Has fragrance