Germ Busters

There are many words in the English language which are synonymous like “wash” and “clean” or like “look” and “watch”. There are many other words which are used interchangeably, but do not really mean the same thing, like “disinfect” and “sanitize”. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has strict guidelines on these designations for cleaning products, and cleaning itself is another level. Sanitizing is the quick version of cleaning a surface by reducing the volume of germs. It may kill some, and it will reduce the incidence of them at the moment. It is good for a fast cleansing routine in many scenarios, and certainly better than average cleanser products as a germ killer. A tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water is a good, natural sanitizer. Disinfecting a surface must kill microscopic organisms, and in technical jargon, the “minimum level of effectiveness in a modern-day disinfectant is 100% kill of 6 log10 of an organism.” In regular person language, it means that disinfectants destroy all organisms in 10 minutes during the AOAC Use Dilution Test (see EPA website below for more information). In a medical setting, for example, it is imperative to kill every germ and to do so, it takes a little longer. Cleaning tends to address tidying up as much as wiping down and getting rid of dirt, so the feel and appearance of a space is appealing and well-organized. And cleaning with soapy products remove dirt and grime from surfaces. Most cleansers, however, do not kill pathogens, virus or bacteria. They may remove some of them along with the dirt, but that’s not assured. Sanitizers and disinfectants do not necessarily clean, they kill microscopic organisms, but are not formulated to remove smudges and dirt. The best approach includes both cleaning to remove dirt, letting things dry, wiping on disinfectant to kill microscopic organisms, leaving it 10 minutes, then wiping surfaces again. Used in tandem, cleansers and disinfectants offer well-washed, germeliminated surfaces, toys, door knobs, counters, car door handles, electronics and other things around the home, work space and vehicles. Sanitizing frequently is easy and helpful as well. Natural disinfectants include vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. To reach disinfectant level with bleach and water, mix one tablespoon of bleach to one quart of water (or ¼ cup bleach in a gallon of water).

https://www.epa.gov/pesticideanalytical-methods/antimicrobialtesting-methods-pro ceduresdeveloped-epas-microbiology

4 3 NRVMAGAZINE.com May-June 2020 We're OPEN WE ' L L B E B AC K , WE ' L L B E B AC K , S T R O N G E R S T R O N G E R Things may look different downtown but our merchants continue to operate and remain open for take-out and delivery services. F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N O N B U S I N E S S O P E R AT I O N C H AN G E S , VI S I T WWW. D O WN T O WN B L AC K S B U R G . C O M T H AN E VE R . T H AN E VE R .