Are There Alternatives to Disinfecting with Bleach/Water?

[LDZ]

Has anyone heard of using Spectrasan 24 or Alpha HP Cleaners?

I'm looking for an alternative disinfectant to bleach and water for my daughter's daycare and am overwhelmed by all the options! I just read about a product called Spectrasan 24 that is supposed to be less toxic but it isn't green seal certified... has anyone heard of it? Someone also recommended Alpha HP but I can't find a product label online to check toxicity... Help! Sol-u-guard does not have a fast enough kill time to meet state requirements.

[Lucy]

When mixed with water and used as a cleaning solution, the bleach is so diluted that it doesn't even smell like bleach. Does it really bother people with asthma? My dad has had severe asthma all his life and I have used it when my parents visit from out of state, and he's never had a problem. Not criticizing, just asking.

[Abigail]

I have asthma and bleach doesn't bother me. I handle is with care and store it up high in the cupboard. I have a squirt bottle from Target's dollar section and it's green. I wrote BLEACH in permanent marker across it to make sure we don't use it from anything but bleach solutions. I'm always wondering what else is out there, but personally would be fine with using the water/bleach solution. It just is more time consuming for mixing it daily and I never even use the ONE cup I make everytime I need to use it.

I found out recently that we're allowed (through our county) to use PureGreen24 which is 100% safe around children and pets and doesn't have a smell and doesn't require mixing. You can go to http://www.puregreen24.com/ for more information. It's more spendy, but I still might give it a try and have some on hand anyways.

[ZONO]

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[Unregistered]

My sister is a nurse practitioner and is constantly pushing the plain vinegar and water as a disinfectant. It's what they use in her practice and what she uses in her home.

[BrooklynM]

I have asthma and bleach doesn't bother me. I handle is with care and store it up high in the cupboard. I have a squirt bottle from Target's dollar section and it's green. I wrote BLEACH in permanent marker across it to make sure we don't use it from anything but bleach solutions. I'm always wondering what else is out there, but personally would be fine with using the water/bleach solution. It just is more time consuming for mixing it daily and I never even use the ONE cup I make everytime I need to use it.

I found out recently that we're allowed (through our county) to use PureGreen24 which is 100% safe around children and pets and doesn't have a smell and doesn't require mixing. You can go to http://www.puregreen24.com/ for more information. It's more spendy, but I still might give it a try and have some on hand anyways.

I use PureGreen24 and I LOVE it! I highly recommend it. Zero smell it is very safe. My inspector said he wished everyone would use it. It is EPA approved. Is it more expensive? Sure, but women who work in the home are at a 54% higher risk of developing cancer due to being around cleaning products. A little bit of it goes along ways. For a lot of my toys I run them through the dishwasher, so I only use this on my changing table and any toys that I cannot put through the dishwasher during my weekly disinfecting. I disinfect once a week unless the toy goes in the mouth, and then I have a germ bin that it goes into right away and I either just leave them there until the end of the week or disinfect it that day.

I also recommend a steam mop for cleaning floors, tiles, my playhouse, window sills, etc.

I am very sensitive to cleaning products. Harsh chemicals instantly start burning my throat and make me feel sick, so I've gone to great lengths to find alternatives. I use a lot of baking soda and vinegar too!

[BrooklynM]

In MN we are required to use bleach. I tried to get out of it and provided many options of disinfecting cleaner, but I was told by my licensor that bleach is required as written in the rule and that many others have tried to get the requirement changed with no luck. Blech! It's the only chemical cleaner I have in my house now thanks to licensing.

What county in MN are you in? Last year there were some changes in MN that allow you to fill out a form to use an EPA approved disinfectant. It's called an Alternate Bleach disinfectant form. Google it. It sounds like you will now have some alternatives! YAY! happyface

[SunshineMama]

I use a solution of white vinegar, water, and essential oils. I am unlicensed, however. I'm sure regs wouldn't allow for it, although it naturally and effectively kills germs.

[Jennie M. Martin]

I think you can also use Hydrogen Peroxide. I know Hydrogen Peroxide possibly not the best Alternative to Disinfecting because it can cause burns at high concentration. But the Environmental Protection Agency, yet, recognizes hydrogen peroxide as a useful disinfectant because it promptly breaks down in the environment to plain oxygen and water. It also says hydrogen peroxide does not pose a health threat to humans when used according to label directions. Also you can use Vinegar as a disinfectant. 1⁄2-cup white vinegar with warm water in 4 cup baking soda works as a good disinfectant.

[Unregistered]

My state allows Clorax wipes as an alternative to bleach. I'm sure it has plenty of chemicals, but I much prefer it to dealing with bleach. I hate bleach. Especially having to mix it up each day.

[AmyKidsCo]

WI allows Quaternary Ammonia solution - I use Shaklee Basic-G. I've heard of a center in WI that uses Melaleuca Sol-U-Guard, but haven't found the documentation that it's allowed.

[cswayze]

Daycare homes and centers in Tx are allowing to use Hospital Grade Disinfectant alternatively.

Lysol Disinfectant that claims on the label to kill 99.9% of germs in 60 seconds is HG, but doesn't specify "HG" on the label. It has an EPA number. Note that some Lysol products are NOT HG.

Here are a few questions I posed to the EPA on this topic, and their responses:

1- Are the terms germicide and disinfectant synonymous?
No... A disinfectant may be limited (gram positive or negative), broad spectrum (gram positive and negative), or hospital grade (gram positive, gram negative, and pseudomonas) whereas a germicide can be equivalent to a hospital grade disinfectant.

2- Is bleach considered a hospital grade germicide? Is it safe on eating utensils, toys, crib rails; after drying? Which would be considered safer- a low-grade disinfectant like Lysol All Purpose Cleaner and Disinfectant or diluted bleach?
The Agency does not allow use of the term "safe" on pesticide products*. If you wanted to check the toxicity of each product, you would have to supply the registration number(s) for comparison. As for bleach, it is used on eating utensils for warewashing in food handling establishments after rinsing and drying.
*Note: Disinfectants are considered Pesticides and the EPA recommends that children and elderly have little to no contact with them. The negative health effects to those populations are excellerated exponentially.

3- Is it true that in order to be classified as a HGD (disinfectant) a product must only be proven to kill these 3 germs: Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ?
Yes....

4- You mentioned that Lysol All Purpose Cleaner and Disinfectant met the criteria for a HGG, even though they do not make that claim on the label? Can you briefly explain why that is sometimes the case?
Pesticide products are permitted to "split" their labeling... This means that there is a "Master Label" on file with the Agency that has all of the permitted use sites and pests. At any time, the registrant may market to a target audience and drop other uses off the labeling. For example, if you have a hospital grade disinfectant that also has home uses, the registrant may sell 2 products under the same registration number with different label claims. One would be sold to hospitals, the other to homewoners.

Another HG Disinfectant option is Melaluca's Sol-U-Guard. I now use this.

So there are at least two options to bleach, Lysol (the one with an EPA number) and Sol-U-Guard.

If your licensing rep attempts to cite you for using one of these alternatives, show him/her the EPA number on the label.

Where are you getting the information that Sol-U-Guard is hospital grade? I just spoke with one of their customer service representative and she said it is NOT approved for use in a hospital, only for use in a home.

We've been using the Seventh Generation Multi-Surface Disinfecting Cleaner for the last two years because it has an EPA number. However, my licensing representative is telling me because it does not have the hospital use statement on the bottle it is not approved to use. I'm looking into using PureGreen24 right now but would love any other suggestions. We are adamant that our centers do not use bleach!

Here are the TX State standards for reference: "A commercial product that is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an antimicrobial product and includes directions for use in a hospital as a disinfectant. You must use the product according to label directions. Commercial products must not be toxic on surfaces likely to be mouthed by
children."

Any ideas????? Thank you!

[Blackcat31]

Where are you getting the information that Sol-U-Guard is hospital grade? I just spoke with one of their customer service representative and she said it is NOT approved for use in a hospital, only for use in a home.

We've been using the Seventh Generation Multi-Surface Disinfecting Cleaner for the last two years because it has an EPA number. However, my licensing representative is telling me because it does not have the hospital use statement on the bottle it is not approved to use. I'm looking into using PureGreen24 right now but would love any other suggestions. We are adamant that our centers do not use bleach!

Here are the TX State standards for reference: "A commercial product that is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an antimicrobial product and includes directions for use in a hospital as a disinfectant. You must use the product according to label directions. Commercial products must not be toxic on surfaces likely to be mouthed by
children."

Any ideas????? Thank you!

The person you quoted posted that info in 2008, so I doubt they will be back to reply.

As for where the info came from, I can't help. I have never heard of that cleaner.

We do have several members from TX on the board though so I am sure one of them may have some suggestions for you.

You are welcome to start a new thread posting your issue.

Alos, welcome to the forum!!