How to Use Disinfectant Wet Wipes Correctly？

During the epidemic, everyone pays more and more attention to personal hygiene and protective products, especially disinfectant wet wipes that are easy to carry. So, what is the difference between them and regular hygiene wipes? And how should they be used correctly?

Big difference between disinfectant wet wipes

There are many types of wipes in the tissue family, with different standards, performance and uses. According to industry standards, disinfectant wet wipes specifically refer to products made from non-woven fabrics, fabrics, dust-free paper or other raw materials as carriers, purified water as production water, and appropriate amounts of disinfectants and other raw materials, which have cleaning and disinfection effects and are applicable to human body, general object surfaces, medical device surfaces, and other object surfaces.

Difference between hygiene wipes and disinfectant wet wipes

Different scope of application

According to industry standards for hygiene requirements, hygiene wipes are suitable for the cleaning and sterilization of hands, skin, mucous membranes and general object surfaces. disinfectant wet wipes are also suitable for hands and intact skin, but not for mucous membranes. Furthermore, they are more suitable for the surface of environmental objects, medical device surfaces with medium and low risks, and the surface disinfection of medical supplies.

Different index requirements

Combining the above standards, slight differences can be seen in the microbiological indicators of the two types of wipes. Note: Pathogenic pyogenic bacteria include Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus hemolyticus.

Different microbial kill indicators for the two types of wipes

According to relevant standards, hygiene wipes have a requirement for the rate of microbial kill. The kill rate of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus should be ≥90%. If it is stated to have a fungicidal effect, the kill rate of Candida albicans should be ≥90%; if it is stated to have a killing effect on other microorganisms, the kill rate of corresponding microorganisms should be ≥90%.

Can disinfectant wet wipes kill the novel coronavirus?

The novel coronavirus belongs to the beta coronavirus family, and is sensitive to ultraviolet rays and heat. It can be inactivated by ether, 75% ethanol, chlorine-containing disinfectants, peroxyacetic acid, and chloroform. In theory, disinfectant wet wipes containing the above ingredients are effective against the virus. However, it should be noted that ether and chloroform do not belong to the category of disinfection products; chlorine-containing disinfectants and peroxyacetic acid are strong oxidants, which have corrosive and irritating effects on the human body and metals, and are not suitable for daily disinfection of environmental surfaces; 75% ethanol is a flammable and explosive product, and is not suitable for large-scale disinfection of ordinary object surfaces.

Precautions when using disinfectant wet wipes

Although some disinfectant wet wipes are effective against the novel coronavirus, if they are not used correctly, they may have the opposite effect. According to the specifications for the cleaning and disinfection management of the medical institution environment, the concentration and application time of disinfectant wet wipes should strictly follow the product instructions when used for the disinfection of environmental surfaces. According to relevant standards, the disinfection time for hygiene hands using disinfectant wet wipes should be ≤1 minute, while the application time for environmental surfaces and general object surfaces should be ≤ 15 minutes.

Finally, when choosing disinfectant wet wipes, pay attention to the product instructions and shelf life, and try to choose small and medium-sized packaging or independent packaging disinfectant wet wipes. Large packaging wipes have a longer service life, which may cause the effective ingredients to volatilize, thus greatly reducing the bactericidal and disinfectant effects of the wipes.