Disinfectants are chemicals designed to kill microorganisms residing on non-living surfaces. These products must be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and are required to display the designated EPA-Registration Number on the product label. The main ingredient found in EPA-registered, hospital grade disinfectants used throughout the hearing industry range from a form of alcohol, quaternary ammonium compound (“quat”), hydrogen peroxide, citric acid, or a combination formula of alcohol/hydrogen peroxide or quat/alcohol mix. With so many products available, here are things to know when choosing disinfectants for your clinical practice:
USE EPA-REGISTERED, HOSPITAL GRADE PRODUCTS
While household products kill germs, EPA-registered, hospital grade disinfectants kill a broad spectrum of microorganisms commonly found in hospitals and other facilities providing patient care and/or provision of allied health services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently qualified EPA-registered, hospital grade disinfectants as effective against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19) in healthcare settings.1 A list of EPA-registered, hospital grade products offered by Oaktree Products is found HERE.
USE ALCOHOL-FREE DISINFECTANTS WHEN RECOMMENDED
Alcohol chemically denatures acrylic, rubber, plastic and silicone. Since most audiology components are composed of these materials, many manufacturers recommend using alcohol-free chemicals to disinfect smaller components and items like hearing instruments, earmolds, remote microphone systems, and headphone cushions. A table of alcohol-free disinfectants (click to see product details) offered by Oaktree Products is available HERE.
DWELL TIME
The EPA registers the specific microorganisms a disinfectant kills and the corresponding amount of time it takes to kill those specific microorganisms. The product must stay wet on a surface for the required amount of time in order to be effective. Referred to as dwell time (or kill time), most EPA-registered, hospital grade disinfectants require 30-seconds to 3 minutes to effectively kill microorganisms although some products require 10 minutes to effectively kill certain microorganisms. It is important to read and follow product instructions.
Final Thoughts:
- For larger touch and splash surfaces (e.g. countertops, table surfaces, door handles, etc), use any available EPA-registered, hospital grade disinfectant in any form (e.g. spray, wipes)
- For equipment and related components comprised of acrylic, rubber, plastic or silicone parts, use an alcohol-free, EPA-registered, hospital grade disinfectant in any form.
References
- CDC. Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings. Updated April 13, 2020. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control-recommendations.html
Checked the links and don’t see audiowipes on any of them. Where do they fall on the infection control scale? If not effective against germs what are they best used for?
AudioWipes is a product specifically designed to clean hearing aids; the ingredient used to saturated the towelettes is an EPA registered disinfectant (EPA Reg. No. 1839-94-71111) that kills germs, however, because AudioWipes is not currently registered with the EPA, that specific product cannot make claims about killing germs. In contrast, Audiologist’s Choice Ultrasonic IS registered with the EPA and claims about disinfecting can be made by that product. Let me know if you need further clarification.