With the ongoing global health crisis came a renewed focus on enhanced disinfection and cleaning protocols. Experts agree that, while the frequent use of soap and water is part of a good health and safety plan, hypochlorous acid products have proven benefits over many commercially available sanitizers and disinfectants. Here are 3 facts about hypochlorous acid HOCL) that you shouldn’t overlook.
- Hand sanitizers and other disinfectants are interchangeable
Wrong! Hand sanitizers (and other related sanitization products) and disinfectants are two different products. They are separate antimicrobial pesticides. A hypochlorous acid sanitizer has proven to be more effective in enhanced cleansing protocols – more so than chlorine-based products.
How these products (Sanitizers and Disinfectants) receive regulatory approval also differs. While the US. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates hand sanitizers, other cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing products are the purview of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- Not all sanitizers are alike
Sanitizers serve a wide range of purposes. If you think that using a product labeled “hand sanitizer” is okay, just because the label has the words “sanitizer” on it – you’re mistaken! Not all manufacturers follow similar manufacturing protocols, and not all chemical formulations are effective for all sanitization, cleansing and disinfecting protocols.
Periodically, the US. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues guidelines and notices to the general public about various sanitization products. Some products contain “wood alcohol”, which are extremely dangerous and toxic. Because hypochlorous acid products have a safer profile – they use salt, water, and electricity – and are produced without harmful chemicals, they are widely used. Applications range from household use, healthcare settings, as well as industrial and commercial applications.
- Businesses can produce their own sanitizers and cleansing agents
Yes…and NO! If you watched web search statistics during the early days of the pandemic outbreak, you likely saw a spike in search terms like “Home-made sanitizer” and “How to make your own…” etc. Some businesses believe that adding alcohol to non-alcohol sanitizers makes it more effective, and may also save them some money.
In fact, the FDA warns that home-made sanitization products could be harmful and less effective. The only way to create self-production capability, is to use commercially available hypochlorous acid sanitizer producing machines. These devices produce high-quality sanitizers and disinfectant in-house, which businesses and residents may then safely use for whatever purpose they desire.
Wide-ranging Application
Ignoring these facts may cause you to choose the wrong type of disinfectant or sanitization product for your application. Because it penetrates pathogenic microorganism cells more easily than other types of disinfectants, hypochlorous acid products are a better choice than many commercially available disinfectants and cleansing agents. That’s why, HOCL is widely used in:
- Hospitals and nursing homes
- Bars and restaurants
- Warehouses and factories
- Food processing plants
- Gyms and sporting venues
- Water treatment applications
- Cruise liners and leisure centers
It’s non-toxic and non-hazardous profile stems from the fact that HOCL is already in use by every human being. That’s because it is a naturally occurring chemical in our bodies, manufactured by white blood cells, and is responsible for fighting infections and battling germs. With credentials like that, you couldn’t ask for a better disinfectant that a hypochlorous acid sanitizer.