Most home and RV users of cleaning products don’t give much thought to the meaning of the terms “clean” and “disinfect”. Oh, but our “regular customers” they know a LOT. Part of that, of course, is because when Steve and I travel to the RV Rallies, we get a chance to meet and answer questions. At some of the owners’ rallies we get the opportunity to volunteer and provide demonstrations. It IS part of connecting with our customers. But maybe the bigger part is being with “our people”. The RV Community is a fun group from everywhere!

For our friends who want to clean with natural products as much as possible, I have been asked if they can “clean with water only”. The short answer is “No”. It will remove loose soil and dirt. But when used alone, water has no true cleaning capabilities. It is technically a chemical. But it's also the purest chemical with a pH rating of 7.  If water was an effective cleaner, we wouldn’t need dish soap, toothpaste, shampoo, laundry detergent or any other “cleaner or detergent”. 

For more on that, see our blog Is it Possible to Clean Without Any Chemicals?

The Difference between Clean & Disinfect

Clean

In its simplest form, cleaning is a matter of removing soil. That soil could be dirt, grease, bug guts, pollen, food particles or any number of things that don’t belong where you found them. Cleaning is the first step and the most important one. 

Disinfect

Disinfection means killing germs. It does NOT mean removing soils.

A disinfectant is not a “green” or “safe” chemical. Most disinfectants should never (in our opinion) be used around food or food surfaces. There are food-grade disinfectants for use in commercial kitchens. 

Food Grade Disinfectants   

These cleaners and sanitizers are tested and certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Cleaners and Sanitizers with this food-grade designation “should cause no ill effects if consumed  with food containing these chemicals in trace amounts”. 

Keep in mind that if it kills germs, it can probably hurt you, too!  

This list of approved commercial-food-grade sanitizers and cleaners includes the following. This list of commercial-grade food-surface sanitizers can be found on page 2 of this PDF at the USDA website.

• Chlorine Materials 
• Hydrogen peroxide 
• Ozone 
• Peracetic acid/peroxyacetic acid 
• Phosphoric acid 
• Potassium hydroxide   
• Sodium hydroxide   

We note again, that these are commercial grade food production scenarios. 

As always, we encourage our community to read the label of any cleaning or disinfecting material you consider using. When you read the “instructions” found on the label, most will specify a “dwell time”. That means an amount of time the disinfectant will need to “remain wet” on the surface to which it’s applied. That “dwell time” allows the disinfectant to be in contact with a set of germs or bacteria it's rated to kill so it can do the job. If you’re interested, you’ll find an eye opening chart from Northern Arizona University, here.

Please note, this is a very long document. Among the items we found was the following. This section appears at the bottom of page 21 and the top of page 22. It reads as follows:

“An additional concern is that chlorine bleach is often manufactured using a mercury cell process, leaving contaminant mercury in the product. Hospitals in Massachusetts have tested several brands of sodium hypochlorite and confirmed this. While the Antimicrobial Cleaning Products concentration of mercury is not high enough to cause any worker health risks, the contaminant mercury, in some cases, is sufficient to trip the mercury limit allowed in water discharged down the drain to a water treatment facility. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin responsible for many environmental and health problems, which have resulted in government agencies issuing advisories against the consumption of many types of fish.”

Disinfectant Mistake #1

The surface is rarely cleaned PRIOR to applying a disinfectant. Disinfectants do not clean and cannot disinfect a dirty surface. A “Disinfectant Cleaner” doesn’t clean the surface. The instructions say to pre-clean the surface before applying the disinfectant.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a wipe or spray. 

Disinfectant Mistake #2

When using a disinfectant, the most common mistake people make is not allowing the proper dwell time. We’ve all seen advertising that shows the users to “spray and wipe”. Those images are used to give consumers the impression that the product works fast and that this is easy. 

That spray and wipe action might work for removing some dirt. But it most likely won’t work for killing germs and bacteria.

When disinfectants are not allowed the proper dwell time, there’s an ugly result. There can remain a set of germs or bacteria that are now exposed to that chemical. Kind of like “tipping your hand” at a card game. Those germs might now be strong enough to resist that disinfectant the next time. No homeowner or RV family wants that!

Disinfectant Mistake #3 

No one shows you washing the surface that’s been disinfected. Disinfects leave a layer of chemical on the surface to continue to collect germs. All those germs, dead or alive, along with the highly regulated dangerous chemicals, are now sitting on that surface.  This is why commercial kitchens are required to use food grade disinfectants. The chemicals have been approved by the EPA to be safe to humans in small, trace quantities. If you do not wash the surface with water, all of this is now being touched by you and your food, dishes, utensils, etc. It’s on the instructions part of the label.

Cleaning Correctly

Clean (that means removing debris such as food particles) before you disinfect. Following that, disinfect. This will leave a slightly sticky layer. That layer includes any residue from the disinfectant as well as the “bodies” of the dead germs & bacteria. Yeah, I know that sounds kind of gross. THEN, clean the surface with a cleaner that doesn’t include a disinfectant. This step removes any of that sticky layer and all the dead germs. The most common and safest method is with a gentle soap and water. Once completed what’s left is a nice-clean-safe-surface, ready for you to use.

The Power to Clean

Gabe’s Pride cleaners are made for 1 purpose – to clean surfaces and remove the soils.  We NEVER use disinfectants or harmful chemicals in our cleaners. Gabe’s Pride uses only the highest quality raw materials which produces the best and safest clean. You can explore and shop through our products here or contact us here.