Chemical disinfection

How does manual chemical disinfection work?

Cleaning, disinfectant cleaning, disinfecting: they might sound similar, but in practical terms they actually describe very different things. Whilst manual cleaning with cleaning agents places the focus on objective cleanliness, disinfectant cleaning and routine disinfection go one step further. These are applied as a preventive measure, reducing germs and micro-organisms on surfaces exposed to regular skin contact with many people. Such surfaces include, for instance, door handles, handrails, operational elements such as card readers, touchscreens, etc. By means of regular, officially mandated, targeted disinfecting measures, viruses, bacteria, spores and yeasts can be destroyed or inactivated almost completely, ensuring surfaces are no longer infectious. Targeted disinfecting using disinfectants is recommended in sectors with a high risk of infection, for example in hospital rooms and wards, as well as whenever transmissible diseases emerge, upon instruction from governing bodies, in swimming pools and in the food industry.

Reliable disinfection requires exact dosing of the disinfectant in cold water and sufficient wetting of the previously dry surface using a cleaning cloth, plus the prescribed contact time and the appropriate ambient temperature of around 20 °C must be guaranteed. While the treated surface dries, it must not be touched or wiped over, in order to eliminate the risk of recontamination. Only in food-processing sectors, such as restaurant and canteen kitchens, must the surface be rinsed afterwards with drinking water.

Benefits of manual chemical disinfection

• Reliably kills all germs on all surfaces, structures, notches and crevices
• Highly effective while drying
• Quick and easy disinfecting of critical surfaces
• Simple, time-saving application
• Disinfectant cleaners save time by enabling users to clean and disinfect in one single step
• Disinfectants and disinfectant cleaners from Kärcher perform a wide range of disinfection activity against bacteria (e.g. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus hirae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, Listeria), yeasts (e.g. Candida albicans) and enveloped viruses (e.g. coronavirus, hepatitis B, HIV, pathogens of swine flu, bird flu, Ebola)
• Kärcher disinfectants and disinfectant cleaners are tested and certified to numerous standards, including EN 13697, EN 1276, EN 1650, EN 13727, EN 13624 and EN 14476

Application areas for manual chemical disinfection

Disinfectants and disinfectant cleaners from Kärcher are approved for use in a wide range of sectors. These include, for example, hotels, restaurants, canteens, shops, schools, public authorities, offices and gyms and, not least, the entire medical sector. Manual chemical disinfection is an ideal method for all types of surface in restroom facilities, for product shelves and deli counters in supermarkets, and for cold stores. This fast and straightforward method is also particularly suitable for disinfecting high-contact objects and surfaces such as door handles, handrails, and gym equipment. It is also used for the targeted disinfection of surfaces and floors in hospital areas used by patients.

How does spray disinfection work?

Disinfection with an electric spray unit or a manual pump sprayer involves spraying the entirety of a previously cleaned surface with a disinfectant solution. Electric spray units ensure the disinfectant solution is applied evenly over the surface. In electrostatic spray systems, the disinfectant solution is also electrostatically charged, ensuring that the disinfectant solution reaches those areas that standard spray systems might miss, such as the back of handles, furniture and fittings. The disinfectant dries within the prescribed contact time – to prevent recontamination, the surface must not be touched or trodden on as it dries.

Benefits of disinfection with a spray unit

• Contactless and fatigue-free application of disinfectants to water-resistant surfaces and hard-to-reach areas
• Reliably kills all germs on all surfaces and structures, and in notches and crevices
• Highly effective while drying
• Quick and extensive disinfecting of critical surfaces
• Simple, time-saving application
• Disinfectants and disinfectant cleaners from Kärcher perform a wide range of disinfection activity against a variety of bacteria, viruses and yeasts, and are tested and certified to numerous standards, including EN 13697, EN 1276, EN 1650, EN 13727, EN 13624 and EN 14476

Areas of application for spray disinfection

Kärcher's manual or mechanical spray units for disinfection are suitable for use anywhere where conventional wipe-down disinfectant methods reach their limits. Using spray units, the disinfectant solution can be effortlessly applied to hard-to-reach areas, such as crevices and joints, as well as structured surfaces in general. They also make it possible to disinfect large areas with minimal effort. This makes spray units particularly beneficial for use in high-risk areas of hospitals, clinics, care homes and doctor's surgeries, in hotels, restaurants and canteens, as well as in restrooms and changing facilities in office buildings, schools, shops, gyms (including sports equipment) or in transport facilities.

How does disinfecting with scrubber dryers and the spray sanitation kit work?

In sectors with high hygiene requirements or where a targeted disinfection method is required alongside routine disinfection, disinfecting floors is a proven method for containing the spread of germs. Disinfecting floors with a scrubber dryer complements conventional wipe-down or mopping methods of disinfection.

When disinfecting a floor with a scrubber dryer, Kärcher strongly recommends the surface in question is cleaned and allowed to dry completely prior to disinfection. The fresh water tank of the scrubber dryer must also be rinsed before being filled with ready-to-use and accurately dosed disinfectant solution. When passing the machine over the floor, care must be taken to ensure that the scrubber dryer's suction mode is deactivated, the floor is completely wetted with disinfectant solution and nobody steps on the floor until it is completely dry.

The spray sanitation kit with integrated spray lance provides the option of incorporating targeted sanitation of water-resistant walls, furnishings and critical contact points. The spray bar makes it easier to apply the disinfectant solution and ensures that the floor is completely covered over the entire area. The spray sanitation kit is available for the B 150 R and B 200 R ride-on scrubber dryers from Kärcher. A single hand movement is all that is needed to switch between applying solution via the spray bar or via the hand nozzle.

Benefits of disinfection with a scrubber dryer and the spray sanitation kit

• Fast and extensive sanitation of critical surfaces and floors (up to 16,700 m² depending on tank fill level)
• Contactless application to hard-to-reach areas such as crevices, joints or cracks
• Reliably kills all germs on all surfaces, and in structures, notches and crevices
• Highly effective while drying
• Simple, time-saving and fatigue-free application
• Disinfectants and disinfectant cleaners from Kärcher are effective against a wide range of bacteria, viruses and yeasts, and are tested and certified to numerous standards, including EN 13697, EN 1276, EN 1650, EN 13727, EN 13624 and EN 14476

Areas of application for scrubber dryers with spray sanitation kit

Scrubber dryers with the spray sanitation kit from Kärcher are designed for the targeted disinfection of large areas, such as in entrance halls and sports halls, shopping centers, production facilities, logistics centers, train stations, hospitals or schools.

Products suitable for professional use

How does chemical disinfection with a high-pressure cleaner work?

High-pressure cleaners from Kärcher combined with the appropriate accessories, such as a cup foam lance, deliver disinfectants and disinfectant cleaners in the form of a foam. Foam guarantees long contact times due to its excellent adhesive properties, making it the ideal method for applying disinfectant to vertical surfaces and individual objects. What's more, foam allows the user to see the extent of the wetting on the surface being disinfected simply by visually inspecting it. The precisely dosed disinfection solution (mixed into cold water) is always applied cold and at low pressure.

Because the foam disinfection solution is applied extensively by high-pressure cleaners, it is recommended the surface is rinsed once the contact time is complete – in areas that come into contact with food, rinsing with drinking water is required by law. Our tip: rinsing with a hot water high-pressure cleaner from Kärcher results in faster drying times.

For routine disinfection in less critical or lightly soiled areas, Kärcher's Disinfectant Cleaner RM 732 is recommended for use. This removes the need to clean the surface in advance, saving time by cleaning and disinfecting in one single step. For targeted disinfection with pure disinfectant like the RM 735 from Kärcher, however, it is essential that all visible dirt is removed beforehand. Depending on the area of application and how dirty it is, this can be done using neutral, acidic or alkaline cleaners from Kärcher applied using the Inno foam set or the cup foam lance. The surface must then be rinsed thoroughly and allowed to dry completely before disinfection.

Benefits of chemical disinfection with a high-pressure cleaner

• Fast and reliable disinfection in all areas with water drain
• Reliably kills all germs on all water-resistant surfaces
• Highly effective while drying
• Extensive application in minimal time
• Disinfectants and disinfectant cleaners from Kärcher are effective against a wide range of bacteria, viruses and yeasts, and are tested and certified to numerous standards, including EN 13697, EN 1276, EN 1650, EN 13727, EN 13624 and EN 14476

Application areas for chemical disinfection with high-pressure cleaners

Chemical disinfection with a high-pressure cleaner is particularly suitable for large areas that have a water drain. These might include restrooms and wellness areas of sports facilities, gyms or hotels, food-processing sites such as butchers or abattoirs, in their cold stores, on their shelves, shipping crates, conveyor belts, as well as in agricultural facilities to contain diseases such as African swine fever or bird flu.