The convenience of disinfectant wipes makes them a popular choice for sanitizing surfaces. Unlike sprays or liquid solutions, these cleaning products are pre-moistened and require minimal effort to use.
They’re perfect for commercial settings like retail stores, gyms, restaurants, schools, and healthcare facilities. Wipes that comply with EPA standards are effective in killing bacteria and viruses.
Sanitizing
During the pandemic, many people have been using disinfectant wipes to clean surfaces and prevent the spread of the virus. However, many household products are not environmentally friendly as they contain harsh chemicals and are not biodegradable. Additionally, they can create a chemical binding effect between the disinfectant and the cloth, which decreases the solution’s effectiveness. To avoid this, you should look for environmentally friendly products that meet the EPA’s disinfectant standard and are rated safe on non-food contact surfaces.
The most commonly used raw material for disinfectant wipes is polyester spun lace, which requires extracting crude oil. It can lead to severe environmental issues, such as toxic substances leaking into the ground and water, affecting people and animals who live nearby. It can also cause greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide to be released into the air.
In addition, polyester is not biodegradable and plumbs into pipes, which leads to sewage problems in cities.
Disinfectant wipes are mostly made of textile materials such as cellulosic fibers (cotton, wood pulp, viscose, lyocell) and thermoplastic fibers (polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene). They are then impregnated with disinfectant solutions, such as alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride or Benzalkonium Chloride, which kills bacteria, germs, and viruses.
Cleaning
Disinfectant wipes can clean surfaces and objects of debris, dirt, dust, and stains. They can also remove residue from electronic devices. They contain natural disinfectants that can kill bacteria and viruses such as strep, staph, salmonella, human coronavirus, influenza, and more. Some are made with essential oils such as thyme, citric acid, and oregano. Some are non-abrasive and have a lint-free weave that leaves surfaces sparkling clean.
These disinfectant wipes bulk come in various sizes and forms to suit a range of cleaning tasks. They can be used in commercial settings like stores and gyms to clean high-touch areas such as carts and equipment. They can also be used in public transport vehicles to clean seats and handrails. Antibacterial wipes can clean patients’ beds, waiting rooms, and desks in hospitals and medical clinics.
Disinfecting
As an alternative to spraying chemicals on surfaces, disinfectant wipes are a more convenient way to ensure frequently touched items are cleaned and sanitized in the workplace. They can clean electronics, doorknobs, and pens more effectively than liquid sprays. They also come with easy-to-follow instructions and a pre-moistened chemical solution ready to use right out of the container. Wipes can also help avoid messes and confusion over the contents of spray bottles, so employees can avoid accidentally picking up the wrong one.
The materials in disinfectant wipes can vary by product, but most contain a quaternary ammonium solution like alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, more commonly known as benzalkonium chloride. It is an EPA-approved disinfectant effective against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Other disinfectant wipes use plant-based or natural compounds and ingredients like citric acid, thymol, or ethanol to achieve the same bactericidal results.
Both options are effective against various microbes and are available in soft packs and canisters. They’re easy to store in locations where they’ll be most needed and accessible for everyone, and they reduce the need for cleaning staff to carry around a large bottle of liquid disinfectant. For example, the sterile wipes are sterilized by gamma irradiation and validated to an AAMI 11137 10-6 SAL. That makes them safer for medical environments and hospitals, where disinfectant sprays could harm equipment.
Hygiene
Disinfectant wipes are a valuable tool for cleaning many surfaces quickly and easily. They can be used in retail to clean shopping carts and gym equipment or in restaurants to sanitize high-touch items like point-of-sale systems. They can also be used in public transport vehicles to sanitize seats and handrails quickly. In hospitals and clinics, wipes can be used to sanitize countertops, medical equipment, and patient rooms and prevent the spread of germs.
Wipes are more cost-effective than disinfectant sprays in the long run, and they come in smaller packaging for easier portability. They can be kept in dispenser stations for employees to use throughout the day, and they don’t require as much space as a bottle of liquid disinfectant. Plus, if the wipes are stored in a sealed container, they can last longer than a liquid cleaner.
However, producing these disinfectant wipes is causing a lot of environmental damage. Manufacturing and distributing products require significant energy due to the raw materials and production processes involved. Companies need to invest more in the maintenance and recycling of these products instead of just focusing on the production phases.