Professional Disinfectant

A professional disinfectant is a biocide that kills or inactivates microorganisms on surfaces, equipment or in water, with tested efficacy and authorised use.

Disinfecting is not sterilising: a disinfectant reduces microorganisms to a level at which they are no longer a risk, but does not necessarily eliminate all forms of life, such as bacterial spores. Nor does it clean on its own: soil and organic matter reduce its action, so it is applied to previously cleaned surfaces, except for products that combine detergent and disinfectant and say so on their data sheet.

In the European Union, disinfectants are biocides regulated by Regulation (EU) 528/2012 (BPR), which classifies them by product type: human hygiene (PT1), disinfection of surfaces and air (PT2), veterinary hygiene (PT3), food and feed contact surfaces (PT4) and drinking water (PT5). In Spain, disinfectants for environmental use and for the food industry carry a number from the Official Biocides Register; the suffix HA indicates use in the food industry. The authorisation sets the uses, doses, type of user and application method.

Activity is demonstrated with UNE-EN standards: in suspension (UNE-EN 1276 for bacteria, UNE-EN 1650 for fungi and yeasts, UNE-EN 14476 for viruses, UNE-EN 13704 for spores) and on surfaces (UNE-EN 13697). There are separate series for the medical and veterinary fields. Each result is valid only for the dose, contact time, temperature and conditions (clean or dirty) of the test, which must be stated on the technical data sheet.

To use it correctly: respect the dose and contact time on the data sheet, do not mix it with other products (a chlorinated product with an acid releases chlorine gas), rinse when the label requires it and use the stated protective equipment.

Instaquim products with each type of activity, with their standards and doses, are listed in the entries bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal.

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