We are all worried about germs. Some germs can make people ill, some can even be deadly. The use of products that claim to kill germs are often used incorrectly. The purpose of this video to educate you how to properly disinfect surfaces to kill potentially harmful bacteria and viral agents, commercial disinfectants.

Many of us take comfort with the suggestion that bleach effectively kills germs, yet did you know that bleach is rapidly inactivated by the very soils left behind from someone touching a surface? Proper disinfecting with bleach is a 2-step process, requiring that surfaces be pre-cleaned followed by application of a diluted bleach solution to kill germs.

Some disinfectants can clean and disinfect in 1-step because they are NOT inactivated by residual soils on a surface making the germ killing process more effective and efficient.

Follow these straightforward rules to properly disinfectant surfaces.

1. If concentrated, dilute the product according to label instructions. Using an automated dilution system takes the guesswork out of dilution.

2. If using bleach, preclean the surface with a compatible cleaning product of your choice. For other products, the pre-cleaning process may not be necessary.

3. Apply the disinfect product to the surface to be disinfected. This can be done by spraying and wiping with a cloth, using a cloth or sponge previous dampened with the disinfectant solution, or on floors using a microfiber cloth and a special mop and bucket.

4. Now this is important, the surface must be left visibly WET and allowed to air dry. Too

often, surfaces are wiped to dryness. Disinfectants do not kill germs instantaneously, but typically require some contact time with the wet disinfectant. Leaving the surface visibly wet accomplishes this important task.