There are a variety of sanitizing solutions marketed for use on hard, non-porous surfaces. To help with selection and comparison, we’ve summarized the pros and cons of five of the most popular options.
Hot water sanitizing
Hot water is a popular choice in some industrial and restaurant contexts. For hot water to sanitize a surface, it needs to be at least 171° F and in contact with the surface for a minimum of 30 seconds[1]. A hot water pressure washer can be used if a surface can’t be submerged.
| Pros: Simplicity – Water is readily available, and no additional sanitizing chemicals are required. Short duration – At 30 seconds of dwell time, hot water is one of the faster options for sanitizing. | Cons: Scalding risk – According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, “adults will suffer third-degree burns if exposed to 150° F water for two seconds.” Damage to surfaces – Some materials will be damaged by temperatures of 171+, such as vinyl and certain plastics. Energy – Maintaining water at such a high temperature comes with high energy costs. |
UV-C light disinfection
Among sanitizing solutions, UV-C is perhaps the most unique. Ultraviolet light destroys viruses and bacteria by interfering with their genetic material. This technology has grown increasingly prevalent since the emergence of the COVID-19 virus. For a UV sanitizer to be effective, it must produce wavelengths within the 100-280 nm range, also known as the UVC range.
| Pros: Simple – It requires only a machine to emit the proper light, with no additional chemicals. Contactless – It does not require the user to touch any contaminated surface. Zero Contaminants – UV-C light leaves zero residue, and produces no particulate pollution. | Cons: Requires direct exposure – Anything in shadow will not be sterilized by UVC. Complex surfaces may need multiple passes. Long duration – Recommended UV light sterilization time will vary, but times of 30 minutes and longer per exposure are commonly recommended. |
Disinfectant foggers
Fogging saturates an entire room with fine sanitizing particles. Some of the most common fogging methods include:
- Chemical fogging
- Vaporized hydrogen peroxide
- Ozone fogging
- Chlorine dioxide treatment
- Ionization
While each type of disinfectant fogger has drawbacks, here are the general pros and cons:
| Pros: Options – Fogging provides a wide range of choices in terms of equipment and methods. Total coverage – Because fogging means a complete saturation, it’s effective at delivering total coverage in one go. Contactless – Fogging does not require the user to touch contaminated surfaces. | Cons: Hazardous to breathe – Most types of fogging render the air unbreathable during treatment. Long duration – Duration times vary. However, most processes take a minimum of an hour, with some taking four or more hours to complete. Complicated requirements – Many methods have atmospheric requirements such as specific temperature and humidity. Others involve unstable compounds that are difficult to store and transport. |
Traditional sprayers
Traditional sprayers are the older type of disinfectant sprayers. This type of sprayer comes in a variety of sizes and can be gas, electric, battery or manually powered. They can spray most water-based disinfectant solutions.
| Pros: Wide selection – You can choose from a range of models based on capacity, weight, method of power, available accessories, etc. Personal control – The user has a high level of control during application. Fast – Sprayers allow for speedy application depending on the volume and rate of spray. Contactless – Traditional sprayers don’t require contact with contaminated surfaces, though liquid runoff can mitigate this benefit. | Cons: Runoff – Traditional sprayers produce a large amount of liquid runoff, which can spread pollutants and contaminants. Wasteful – Traditional sprayers require the use of excess chemical solution to ensure dwell times are met and surfaces are fully covered. |
Electrostatic sprayers
Electrostatic sprayers take traditional sprayer technology and improve it by positively charging the sprayed particles. This positive charge means the droplets seek out the natural negative charges of a surface, resulting in even coverage and improved adherence. Victory brand handheld and backpack electrostatic sprayers incorporate additional patented technology to make their sprayers even more efficient.
| Pros: Total coverage – The addition of a positive charge to the sprayed particles guarantees complete coverage. Fewer chemicals – Electrostatic sprayers reduce the amount of chemicals needed by limiting runoff during application. Victory electrostatic sprayers in particular use 65% fewer chemicals over traditional sprayers. Fast – Electrostatic sprayers are one of the fastest sanitizing methods. Victory electrostatic sprayers save up to 70% on sanitizing times. Easy to use – Electrostatic sprayers are generally user friendly. Victory electrostatic sprayers are particularly accessible, as they were designed with the general user in mind. Contactless – Electrostatic sprayers require zero contact with the contaminated surface. | Cons: Price – Initial investment tends to be higher for electrostatic sprayers. However, the initial cost is offset over time by savings in chemicals and personnel hours. |
What to learn more about choosing the right disinfectant solution for your business? Check out our blog all about the selection process.
[1] https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/food-nutrition/its-clean-but-is-it-sanitized