The
Environmental Protection Agency (
EPA) defines disinfectants as
the class of agents intended to
destroy specific
bacteria,
viruses or
pathogenic fungi on
inanimate objects, but not necessarily their
spores. A "hospital disinfectant" is such an agent shown to be effective
against
Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella choleraesuis, and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and may kill other
pathogens as well.
Some substances with disinfectant properties include:
- Household bleach, aka sodium hypochlorite solution,
diluted 1:10, is an effective broad-spectrum disinfectant that will
kill a wide variety of bacteria and viruses including HIV.
- Hydrogen peroxide is also a broad-spectrum disinfectant, and
its corrosive properties are much less than that of bleach.
- Formaldehyde will disinfect and even kill bacterial spores,
but it's a known carcinogen and also quite toxic so
is not used much.
- Alcohols, such as ethanol and isopropyl alcohol will kill
many bacteria and fungi, but since they evaporate so quickly, it can be difficult
to ensure a sufficient contact time to achieve disinfection. Their optimal
concentration for disinfectant activity is about 70%.
- Phenolic compounds (which is what some versions of Lysol contain)
are effective against bacteria and fungi, but only
some viruses.
- Nolvasan (chlorhexidine diacetate) works well to kill bacteria and viruses,
and is recommended as an avicultural disinfectant.
- Iodine compounds, found in such products as Betadine.
"Natural" products such as vinegar and baking soda don't work very well at
killing microbes, studies show.
http://www.eurekalert.org/releases/uncc-scd012000.html
http://www.nwu.edu/research-safety/labsafe/cbsl/cbsl7.htm
http://www.ehs.ucdavis.edu/sftynet/sn-51.html
http://www.bhj.org/journal/1997/3901_jan/special_042.htm