Hydrogen 3% low disinfectant. Strong oxidant. Can be corrosive to aluminum, — Cleans floors, walls and copper, or zinc. peroxide Fast acting. furnishings. 6.5% high level — Breaks down into disinfectant. Effective for high water and oxygen. level disinfection of flexible endoscopes. Higher (35%) concentrations used as sterilant in specially designed machines for decontamination of devices, and for room decontamination in high containment facilities. Iodophors Intermediate level disinfectant Rapid action. Note: Antiseptic iodophors are for some equipment. Low level Relatively free of NOT suitable for use as hard disinfectant for hard surfaces toxicity and surface disinfectants. Corrosive and equipment that does not irritancy, but may to unless combined with touch mucous membranes. cause allergy. inhibitors. Disinfectant may burn tissue. Inactivated by organic materials. May stain fabrics and synthetic materials. Per acetic High level disinfectant or Innocuous Corrosive to tissue. Unstable sterilant for heat sensitive decomposition when diluted. Concentrated acid equipment. Higher (water, oxygen, solution is flammable and can concentrations used as sterilants acetic acid, be violently reactive. in specially designed machines hydrogen for decontamination of heat peroxide). Rapid sensitive medical devices. action at low temperature. Active in presence of organic materials. Phenolic Low/intermediate Leaves residual Not recommended for use on disinfectants. Clean floors, walls, film on food contact surfaces. May be benches, and furnishings. Clean environmental absorbed through skin or by hard surfaces and equipment surfaces. rubber. Some synthetic flooring that does not touch mucous Commercially may become sticky with membranes. available with repetitive use. detergents to provide one-step cleaning and disinfecting. Quaternary Low disinfectant. Clean Generally DO NOT use to disinfect medical floors, walls, benches and to hands. instruments. Non-corrosive. ammonium furnishings. Usually have Limited use as disinfectant compounds detergent because of narrow microbicidal properties. spectrum.
Hydrogen peroxide 3% — low disinfectant. Cleans floors, walls and furnishings. 6.5% — high level disinfectant. Effective for high level disinfection of flexible endoscopes. Higher (35%) concentrations used as sterilant in specially designed machines for decontamination of devices, and for room decontamination in high containment facilities. Strong oxidant. Fast acting. Breaks down into water and oxygen. Can be corrosive to aluminum, copper, or zinc. Iodophors Intermediate level disinfectant for some equipment. Low level disinfectant for hard surfaces and equipment that does not touch mucous membranes. Rapid action. Relatively free of toxicity and irritancy, but may cause allergy. Note: Antiseptic iodophors are NOT suitable for use as hard surface disinfectants. Corrosive to unless combined with inhibitors. Disinfectant may burn tissue. Inactivated by organic materials. May stain fabrics and synthetic materials. Per acetic acid High level disinfectant or sterilant for heat sensitive equipment. Higher concentrations used as sterilants in specially designed machines for decontamination of heat sensitive medical devices. Innocuous decomposition (water, oxygen, acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide). Rapid action at low temperature. Active in presence of organic materials. Corrosive to tissue. Unstable when diluted. Concentrated solution is flammable and can be violently reactive. Phenolic Low/intermediate disinfectants. Clean floors, walls, benches, and furnishings. Clean hard surfaces and equipment that does not touch mucous membranes. Leaves residual film on environmental surfaces. Commercially available with detergents to provide one-step cleaning and disinfecting. Not recommended for use on food contact surfaces. May be absorbed through skin or by rubber. Some synthetic flooring may become sticky with repetitive use. Quaternary ammonium compounds Low disinfectant. Clean floors, walls, benches and furnishings. Generally to hands. Usually have detergent properties. DO NOT use to disinfect medical instruments. Non-corrosive. Limited use as disinfectant because of narrow microbicidal spectrum.
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