The use of disinfectant wipes has skyrocketed during the coronavirus pandemic. Consumers flocked to purchase any product that could kill germs. Finding a disinfectant wipe became a difficult task, especially in the first year of the pandemic. Today there are a few options for wipes on the market that include alcohol wipes, antiseptic wipes, all purpose cleaning wipes, disinfectant wipes, sanitizing wipes and more. You will want to make sure the wipes you buy can actually kill viruses and germs and also how to use them safely and effectively.

Disinfecting wipes have a germ-killing solution on them. They are designed to kill viruses and bacteria on hard surfaces like door handles, counters, desks, light switches, keyboards, and any high touch hard surfaces. They are generally not meant for soft surfaces like clothing or upholstery. The germ-killing solution on a disinfectant wipe is generally a chemical that is not meant to be used on your skin or on food but is effective on hard, non-porous surfaces. Look for wipes that contain chemicals that have been approved by or registered with Health Canada or the FDA and be sure to read the label carefully, so you know what you are getting and how to use the wipes.

Sanitizing wipes or antibacterial wipes may be alcohol-based wipes for your hands, or they could be disinfectant wipes for surfaces. Read the label to determine what type of wipe it is and to see a list of it is use’s. Alcohol-based wipes can be safe for use on hands and can also have some use to kill certain germs and viruses on surfaces.

Depending on what you are looking for, take the time to check the fine print on the package for uses and approvals of the disinfecting wipes and be sure to read the directions and warnings to know what is in the wipe and if you need to wear gloves to protect your skin when using the wipes, or whether the wipes are safe on skin.

Eco Sanitizer has created an alcohol wipe that can be used to sanitize surfaces and is also safe to use on hands. We carry a line of sanitizing, cleaning and disinfectant wipes that are sure to help take care of the demand for wipes during covid-19. We hope our wipes will become a trusted and affordable favourite choice for years to come.

Many of us have wondered what the best disinfectants are to use during the pandemic and how to best disinfect surfaces to address COVID-19.  Whether for household, office, or a retail setting.   The type of disinfectant products we choose to do the job depends largely on the dynamics of the space that requires disinfection.  Some questions to consider are; Has there been a COVID-19 outbreak in the space?  Is it for daily preventative maintenance.  Is it a low-risk environment, or one with a lot of traffic and high touch surfaces? All of these are important factors to consider when exploring the best selection of disinfectants.

Disinfectants are chemical solutions designed to inactivate or destroy germs, viruses, bacteria, fungi, mold and/or microorganisms on hard non-porous surfaces.  Different solutions are designed to kill specific germs.  The label on a disinfectant is the best source for determining what the solution is made up of and what it is designed to kill.  The label will also suggest the best uses for the product as well as any precautions or warnings that are important to know in the handling of the chemical.

Almost every environment contains bacteria and microorganisms, most of which are harmless to humans.  Disease-causing organisms are called pathogens and they can be dangerous or even deadly. The Coronavirus is an example of such a pathogen.  Using a disinfectant that helps prevent the spread of such a pathogen is critical to creating a safe environment.

Disinfectants have been used in commercial, industrial, and medical facilities for years, and those facilities already have a grasp of the necessity and importance of disinfectants.  And due to the pandemic, the use of disinfectants has become mainstream into households. Even industries already familiar with the use of disinfectants have had to re-evaluate to ensure that their disinfectant works for COVID-19 which is a pathogen that they may not have been as concerned about pre-pandemic.

Some widely used types of disinfectants are as follows: 

1. Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (Quats) which have been a top choice for disinfection in hospital and institutional settings. This solution provides both cleaning power and broad spectrum kill claims for many common and dangerous pathogens.
2. Alcohols are effective against a wide range of bacteria for the purpose of disinfecting as long as the surface is free of organic soil which can sometimes block the solution from reaching the surface.  As long as the surface is prepped and cleaned, alcohol can kill a range of bacteria.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide are viewed as being “greener” because they break down into the naturally occurring elements of hydrogen and oxygen and are therefore more sustainable for the environment. Since hydrogen peroxide is mildly acidic it is an effective cleaner as well as a disinfectant.

The most important considerations to evaluate when choosing which disinfectant will best meet your needs are, solution effectiveness, kill time, safety, and ease of use. Sorting through these four main considerations will help ensure you are making the best decision for your unique environment and will help determine which disinfectants you will need to go along with your solid plan to prevent disease and infection.  Disinfecting in the right way will keep your space as safe as possible and will give added peace of mind to you, your family, your staff and visitors or customers to your site.

Eco Sanitizer has several lines of disinfectants to meet almost every need.  Our brands such as Vital Oxide, SteriKleen and the Dustbane family of products are available to help you achieve your disinfectant goals. 

Electrostatic disinfection has been around for some time. Facilities such as hospitals and other commercial industries are familiar with the technique and the necessity for this vital piece of equipment.  But for those of you who are wondering, “What is an electrostatic sprayer?”

Since it is virtually impossible to disinfect every square inch of a surface (especially hard to reach surfaces) by hand, and also unrealistic in terms of time available. And keeping in mind that pathogenic bacteria can spread and hide into hard-to-reach surfaces more easily and more quickly than we can clean them away, an effective means of germ removal is necessary.

Electrostatic sprayers are a piece of equipment designed to be used for electrostatic disinfecting.  There are two basic styles.  The Handheld Gun Sprayer and the Backpack Sprayer. The sprayers themselves provide no mechanical cleaning action and do not make contact with surfaces. Therefore, they do not remove physical debris or soil and are not meant to clean a surface.  

“How do electrostatic sprayers work?” 

The electrostatic sprayer is used to coat a surface quickly and evenly with a disinfecting solution.  This is achieved when the electrostatic applicator provides a negative charge to the disinfection solution as it exits the nozzle.  The charged chemical molecules will then electromagnetically stick to a targeted surface, providing 360-degree coverage of the surface allowing the chemical to disinfect the surface and kill pathogens.  A person using an electrostatic sprayer can cover large areas in minutes getting to all surfaces (including those hard-to-reach spots) by just aiming the sprayer nozzle to the surface and letting the science of the charged chemical do the rest.  

To put it simply, the charged chemical is attracted to surfaces, finding its’ way into even the tiniest of crevice’s and hard to reach areas, and that chemical then adheres to those surfaces long enough to kill the germs.  The average time it takes for the chemical to work, depending on the chemical used and, on the pathogen, can range from 60 seconds to 10 minutes for most things.

Electrostatic disinfection using electrostatic sprayer equipment is the best solution for successful germ removal and infection control.  They are used to keep the environments and the people in them safe from exposure to the harmful and sometimes fatal germs by providing a quick and easy way to kill germs. They can be used for the management of a covid-19 outbreak or for preventative maintenance.

Eco Sanitizer has sourced and tested what we feel are the best electrostatic sprayers available on the market.  We choose sprayers that stand the test of time, are easy to use and are worth the investment for the efficiency and thoroughness they bring to the task of a more thorough disinfecting. Complete disinfection does not  have to be time consuming or labour intensive.  Electrostatic sprayers are now more readily available and designed to provide the best solution for disinfecting.  And when the time savings and the germ-killing effectiveness are factored in, electrostatic sprayers prove to be affordable.

One of the most noticeable lifestyle changes resulting from the Covid19 pandemic is the use of face masks in public places. Once reserved for certain sectors in society like the medical profession, care workers or dentists, face masks have become mainstream in efforts to contain and slow the spread of the coronavirus during the pandemic.  

COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets that travel into the air when you talk, cough, sneeze, shout, or sing.  The droplets can land into the mouths or noses of people nearby and can be breathed in.  Face masks are a simple barrier to help prevent your respiratory droplets from reaching others.  Studies show that masks reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth.  Your face mask offers some protection to you too.

How well a face mask will protect you depends on how the mask is made (such as the type of fabric, the number of layers of fabric, and how well the face mask fits).  The CDC and other scientists are studying these factors and information is updated as new scientific evidence becomes available.

We have learned a lot in the past year about masks as a company.  The information we have so far about the best face mask to wear comes from a variety of sources such as the CDC, WHO, our Provincial and Federal Health Ministers and some of the scientific briefs that are written by scientists and organizations around the world who are studying the use of face masks and their efficacy.

The best face mask according to a recent study by the CDC is a multi-layer mask which can block the release of exhaled respiratory particles into the environment, along with the microorganisms these particles carry as well as reduce the wearers’ exposure to infectious droplets through filtration of the mask they are wearing.

With so many masks now in stores and supermarkets to choose from, there are ways to help distinguish the best mask to protect against the coronavirus. Some common labels are; Surgical Mask, Medical Mask, 3 Ply Mask, 3 Layer Mask, KN95 mask N95 Respirator.  Regardless of how the mask is labelled, it is important to dig a little deeper into the brand and the manufacturer and review how the mask is constructed and how the face mask is rated.

ASTM Ratings – ASTM International sets the preferred standard in healthcare for best practices and requirements for performance and materials in masks.  They follow FDA guidelines in the four main areas of Fluid, Resistance, Differential Pressure, Filter Efficiency and Flammability.

Here is a breakdown of the ASTM ratings:

• ASTM level 1 masks are the general standard for both surgical and procedural use.
• ASTM Level 2: moderate barrier protection for low-to-moderate levels of aerosols, sprays, and fluids.
• ASTM Level 3: maximum barrier protection for any situation that has the potential for exposure to heavy levels of aerosols, sprays, and fluids.

Non-Medical or Multi-layer cloth masks – have been shown to effectively block most large droplets that are 20-30 microns and larger and they can also block the exhalation of fine droplets and particles smaller than 10 microns according to a CDC report.  Especially multiple layers of cloth with higher thread counts compared to single layers.

Whether you are looking for the best face mask for kids, or face masks made in Canada or just the best face mask to provide protection from the coronavirus, Eco Sanitizer has sourced ASTM Level 3 Medical, Surgical, KN95 and N95 face masks and made them accessible for Canadians. We carry some of the best faces masks available to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.