Disinfecting Myths and Facts

In a world with seemingly endless, sometimes innacurate information, it can be difficult to find the real facts. Luckily, we put some of them right here, just for you.

Myth:

Cleaning and disinfecting are the same thing.

Fact:

Cleaning and disinfecting are not the same thing. Cleaning uses detergents and surfactants to break up debris on surfaces, but disinfectants kill or inactivate pathogens in various ways, depending upon the disinfectant used.  Some penetrate the outer layer of a pathogen’s cells, which weakens it. Others act almost like a bomb and blow the cells apart. According to the CDC, cleaning refers to removing dirt and dust from surfaces, which also removes (but does not kill) some of the germs there. Cleaning is important because it reduces the number of germs and some germ sources in the environment. Disinfecting, on the other hand, kills germs on surfaces by dousing them with chemicals. Now more than ever, both cleaning and disinfecting play a vital role in fighting viruses. 

Myth:

All disinfectants are created equal.

Fact:

Not even close. In the United States and Canada alone, you will find more than 8,000 registered disinfectant products for sale, and there are several variations between them, all functioning to various extents.

Myth:

All disinfectants can be used the same way.

Fact:

Among the six most common chemistries used for disinfection, especially in healthcare settings, you will find vast differences in concentrations, contact times, and personal protection needed for proper usage. In addition, many disinfectants require you to clean a surface first with a product containing detergents before you can use a disinfectant on the surface.

Myth:

Disinfectant products work instantly.

Fact:

Many people use convenient disinfectant wipes to kill germs on surfaces, but it’s important to know these products do not kill germs instantly. Merely swiping a surface will not destroy the germs there. Read the product label carefully to find the instruction titled “to disinfect.” This instruction will tell you how many minutes to leave the product on the surface to kill germs. Many common sprays and wipes require that you saturate the surface and leave it wet for 4-10 minutes or longer to kill germs. (In case you were wondering, our Clorox Total 360 Disinfection System kills nearly every germ you could want in 2 minutes or less.)

Myth:

Disinfecting alone is more powerful than cleaning.

Fact:

Cleaning and disinfecting go hand-in-hand. Before you disinfect, you should always clean — remove surface dust, dirt and grime. Surface dirt can react with the chemicals in disinfecting products and render them unable to kill germs effectively. Do not let your germ-killing efforts go to waste by failing to thoroughly clean before applying disinfectant!

Myth:

Only high-touch surfaces need to be disinfected.

Fact:

Not quite. Daily, you should disinfect high-touch surfaces that your household members touch regularly. You cannot forget things like doorknobs, light switches, refrigerator handles, remote controls, cabinet handles, and railings. You should also regularly disinfect all the common areas of your home, though, including your bathroom, dining room, living room, and so on. Reducing germs throughout the home environment makes the place safer for everyone.

Myth:

You should bleach all your laundry to destroy any germs on it.

Fact:

This is not good advice! You will ruin all your clothes. For clothing, bedding, towels, and other washable items, simply launder as directed. Use the hottest water setting recommended by the clothing label. Most bacteria and viruses cannot survive the warm, soapy, turbulent environment of a washing machine, so you do not need to add a disinfecting product.

Myth:

Sanitizers and disinfectants kill germs on contact.

Fact:

Sanitizers and disinfectants all require different lengths of time to kill different types of germs, but almost none work instantly. Most sanitizers and disinfectants require 5 to 10 minutes to kill all germs. Those that claim for marketing purposes that they “Kill in 30 Seconds” might kill only one organism that fast but take 5 to 10 minutes for all the remaining important germs! Spraying and immediately wiping dry with disinfecting or sanitizing cleaners kills no more germs than regular soap.

Myth:

Sanitizing, disinfecting, and antibacterial all mean the same thing.

Fact:

Each mean extremely different levels of effectiveness for killing germs. Sanitizing only kills 99.9% of bacteria, while disinfectants kill 99.999% of viruses, fungi, and bacteria. It sounds like a small difference, but that 0.099% reduces exposure to germs by 100-fold! Antibacterials are similar to sanitizers in that they both only kill bacteria, but not viruses (for example, an antibacterial would kill E-Coli, but not Influenza or COVID-19).

Myth:

Sanitizers and disinfectants kill every type of bacteria and virus.

Fact:

To legally state “kills 99.9% of germs,” sanitizers and disinfectants must only prove they can kill a few specific types of pathogens and may not work on the ones you really care about, such as SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). As good rule of thumb, if the package does not list it, the solution doesn’t kill it. To find out which germs your product works on and how long it takes to kill them, you will need to read the fine print or visit the producer’s website.