Bleaches, Cleaners & Sprays

All Purpose Cleaners vs Disinfectant Sprays

It's no secret that our homes and workplaces are a veritable cornucopia of germs, bacteria and disease. As the age-old saying goes, ‘cleanliness is next to godliness’ - the idea that our surroundings must be kept sterile at all times is a mantra thoroughly embedded into modern society. But how clean really is your space? Are you using the right tools for the job?

Whether it is the office kitchen countertop, bathroom or other surfaces around the workplace; chances are a key item in your cleaning team’s arsenal is an all-purpose cleaner or disinfectant spray. However, have you checked whether they’re using the right product to do the right job?

When deciding between them, the single most-important thing to remember is that an all-purpose cleaner will not disinfect and a disinfectant will not clean.

For instance, when cleaning the office toilets, your team arm themselves with an all-purpose cleaning spray and bravely try to tackle the bugs and bacteria that riddle every surface. Unfortunately the reality of what happens is that while this shared space has been ridden of dirt and grime, the surfaces remain almost entirely as entrenched as before.

Equally, when using a disinfectant spray to clean up food or drink spillages, the surface will no longer be harbouring as much bacteria or viruses but the chances are it won’t revive the surface’s original look or feel. For example; wiping up a sticky substance such as jam from a kitchen work surface, if done with a disinfectant, would leave the surface somewhat tacky.

As a rule all-purpose cleaners are composed to lift away dirt and stains from surfaces; although some germs and bacteria might physically be removed in this process it is by no means as effective as using a disinfectant on the same surface.

While on the other hand, a disinfectant is specifically engineered to kill disease-causing germs and bacteria but won’t necessarily, and isn’t designed to, leave the surface looking at its best. Similarly you may find some products labelled as ‘sanitisers’ - these are closely related to disinfectants however by definition they exclusively target bacteria but not viruses.

While all-purpose cleaners are highly versatile and can be used on a wide range of hard surfaces with minimal precautions; disinfectants often require protective steps such as wearing gloves and opening windows or otherwise providing ventilation in the space being disinfected.

All-Purpose Cleaners

An all-purpose cleaner is composed for gentler cleaning, to remove dirt and other organic matter from surfaces. They are often ph-neutral and won’t leave a residue behind after you finish cleaning. Finally, while they do not require any special precautions or ventilation, such as opening a window, during their use; however they are not designed to kill bacteria or viruses.

Disinfectants

A disinfectant often contains a bactericide, in many cases these products are described as ‘antibacterial’ or ‘antimicrobial’. Similarly you may find some being sold as ‘sanitiser’ - the reality is a sanitiser is a type of disinfectant that exclusively targets bacteria only. A disinfectant is specially formulated to kill disease-causing bacteria and viruses however they also come with specific usage instructions that must be followed to maximise their effectiveness; for example the contact time the solution must be left on the surface.

For the most effective and thorough routine for cleaning any surface, we recommend a two-step process. This is where the surface is cleaned of dirt, debris and other organic matter with an all-purpose cleaner; before it is later treated with a disinfectant to rid the surface of any bacteria or viruses.

Pro Tip: When it comes to cleaning chemicals, a common mistake is to use bleach to try and unblock a clogged or otherwise slow drain. For best results use a dedicated drain unblocker or suitable tools if the blockage is within reach of the plughole.