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A guide to what the label tells you
With so many new cleaning products on the market, it's
more important than ever to read the labels, understand what
the terms mean, and follow the manufacturers' instructions.
Nancy Bock, Vice President of Education at The Soap and Detergent
Association, offers some explanations.
Disinfectants and Sanitizers
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
cleaning and disinfecting are not the same. While soap and
hot water can remove some germs from surfaces when you clean,
they can't kill all germs. In fact, they may even spread them
around. Use a disinfectant or sanitizing product when you
want to kill germs on a hard surface.
Disinfectants and sanitizers come in many forms and each
has its own benefits. Check the label to see what you are getting.
- Disinfectants and antimicrobials are designed to destroy
pathogenic micro-organisms, which are causative agents involved
in communicable human diseases. These diseases can run the
gamut from
the common cold and staph infections to foodborne illnesses and
tuberculosis.
- Sanitizers are designed to reduce the number of micro-organisms to a safe level
by killing them; typically, sanitizers kill 99.9% of these germs.
Any product that claims to kill bacteria or viruses must be registered with the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). So, if destroying these agents is your goal, look for cleaning products that have an EPA
registration number on the product label. For Canadian products, look for the Drug Identification Number
(DIN) or the Health Canada registration number.
Be sure to follow the label directions, as many products need to "stand" on a surface for a period of time
in order to kill the germs.
Ingredients
For surface cleaners, cleaner/disinfectants and cleaner/sanitizers, active ingredients are listed
on the product packaging. The following ingredient function categories are often used in many home
hygiene products. Note that not all products in these categories contain all of the ingredient categories.
- Cleaning agents/surfactants: Lift dirt and soil and help remove germs from surfaces.
- Buffering agents: Stabilize the various ingredients in the formula.
- Fragrances: Give consumers a choice of pleasing scents.
- Disinfecting and sanitizing ingredients: Kill bacteria, viruses and/or
fungi that cause odors, mold and/or illness. Some of the more frequently used
active ingredients are sodium hypochlorite, ethanol, pine oil, hydrogen peroxide,
citric acid and quats (quaternary ammonium compounds).
"Warning," "Caution" and "Danger" Designations
- "Caution" and "warning" are the most commonly used "signal words" for cleaning products.
These two terms are interchangeable for household cleaning products. They mean that the product
is not likely to produce permanent damage as a result of exposure. However, keep in mind that
appropriate first aid should always be given in case of exposure.
- "Danger" indicates that accidental exposure to the undiluted product could cause damage
to the mouth, throat and stomach; or the material could ignite if exposed to an open flame,
heat or spark.
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Cleaning Matters is
compiled by The Soap and Detergent Association and is
not copyrighted. Such information is offered solely to
aid the reader. The Soap and Detergent Association and
its member companies do not make any guarantees or warranties,
expressed or implied, with respect to the information
contained in Cleaning Matters and assume no responsibility
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