What Chemical is used for Sanitization

Chemical used for sanitization 16
Aug

Sanitization is an essential process in cleaning and disinfecting your household, work, or any area for that matter. Whenever you are looking to sanitize something, you should always have your arsenal of chemical desinfectants that you use ready on deck.

The choice of chemicals and selecting an appropriate sanitizing agent is pivotal in determining the efficiency of your washing methods.

Chemical disinfectants have both pros and cons that have to be weighed out against each other before coming to a conclusion. We have taken the liberty to put together a list to help you decide your preferred chemical used for sanitization

Factors to consider while choosing your chemical: 

  1. Targeted microbes:

It is always important to remember your reason for disinfecting the surface. Depending on the usage of the surface and the kind of microbes that are generally present on it, you will have to pick the right chemical desinfectants.

For example, consider whether you require a bactericidal, virucidal, fungicidal or sporicidal chemical.

  1. Disinfectant compatibility

You should also bear in mind the nature of your surface and consider if your preferred chemical would be ideal for that surface. If the surface and disinfectant were not compatible, then you could see some disastrous results.

For example, some disinfectants are highly corrosive, and if you used them on a metal surface, they could damage the surface. 

  1. Cost and comfort

It is also recommended you do not spend way too much on chemicals that have limited usage. Be smart when you pick your chemical for cleaning and sanitation, and always choose one that gives you great value and ease of usage. 

  1. Safety factor 

This is perhaps the most important factor as you shouldn’t risk yourself while using chemicals for cleaning. Some chemicals can be super effective for sanitation but are also extremely harmful to health. So, choose a chemical desinfectants that has relative safety when you are using it and does not put yourself in harm’s way. 

Common chemicals used: 

  1. Quaternary Ammonia

Quaternary Ammonia is a common chemical used for cleaning and sanitation. It is effective in killing most microbes, such as bacteria and enveloped viruses. It also provides an excellent residual killing effect which makes it a highly valuable chemical. It is probably the safest sanitation agent on this list and can be used for any and all purposes. 

  1. Bleach

Hypochlorite is the chemical behind the formation of bleach. This chlorinated compound of bleach is one of the most widely used chemical disinfectants that are excellent for providing immediate sanitation effects by instantly killing the microbes. And get the Sanitization Services in Delhi

They are used in various environments ranging from bathrooms, common corridors, hospitals, etc. However, they have downsides in the fact that they have a strong, pungent odour, that they are highly corrosive and do not provide long term protection.

  1. Phenolics

Phenolics are a popular chlorinated chemical used for sanitization. It is perhaps one of the oldest cleaning agents dating back to the early 19th century. Over time, the anti-microbial properties have improved and come a long way.

If you have any non-porous and non-critical surfaces, then this is the best product for disinfection. They are used in modern hospitals even today. However, keep in mind that it can cause skin irritation in improper compositions. 

  1. Peracetic Acid

A preparation of peracetic acid is a rapidly effective chemical for cleaning and sanitation. This should be your go-to chemical whenever you have a multipurpose surface that is not clean as it has a wide range of anti-microbial properties. 

It can be used to kill bacteria, fungi, viruses and spore-forming microbes. This chemical is popularly used in a sanitization machine. However, overuse can make its pungent odour unbearable.  

  1. Accelerated Hydrogen peroxide

This is a modern chemical used for sanitization and has witnessed growing usage in recent times. These are extremely safe and active chemical disinfectants that don’t cause any harm to the cleaner and still effectively cleans the surface. Accelerated Hydrogen peroxide can kill the microbes by penetrating into their biofilm.