When I speak about hygiene and sanitation, I always mention the difference between cleaning & disinfecting (check here for more information). This is indeed an essential concept to have in mind when fighting infectious diseases lurking in the shelter’s environment.
Those two different steps are definitely part of an important equation. And since there are two different steps, it is not uncommon to use two different products. However, this is when things can get a little bit confusing, and there is always someone in the audience asking me about those products that are called “disinfecting cleaners”.
“If they clean AND disinfect, why should we do two steps ? One should be enough then.” Mmm, let’s discuss this assumption.
#1 Disinfecting cleaners are a reality. Such products do exist. Quaternary ammoniums ( products which active compounds usually carries “ammonium” something in their name), potassium peroxymonosulfate and accelerated hydrogen peroxides (AHPs) can be qualified as such.
#2 Those products have detergent properties. At the same time, if you remember this table I share often (see here), they also have disinfecting properties. They are indeed “disinfecting cleaners”.
DR. EMMANUEL FONTAINE 