Disinfection is critical in the medical industry ‒ there’s no debate about that. What is also important is the protection of the practitioner’s skin (and their support staff), the struggling environment and, lastly, the equipment and furniture. When sourcing a range of cleaning products for a medical practice or facility, all these boxes have to be ticked. This also applies to products sourced for veterinary, sports, education and other facilities.
A pH level has an effect on humans, equipment, furniture and especially the environment. They can cause skin inflammations on humans and animals, remove the top layer of inanimate surfaces and dissolve spots on furniture.
Choosing a pH-neutral, high-quality cleaner will save you a lot of money, time and irritation (literally) in the long run.
A pH Explanation
In order to fully appreciate the advice we are giving, it is helpful to understand the drivers behind a pH reading. Let’s look at the abbreviation: “pH” stands for “the potential of hydrogen”. The word “potential” actually denotes the power one can expect from the amount of hydrogen present.
pH is measured which a range of numbers, starting at 1 and topping out at 14. As you would expect, when you are in the middle of these two numbers (7), you are neither alkaline nor acidic, i.e. neutral.
Low numbers denote acidity and high numbers denote alkalinity. Being highly alkaline is not a good thing either, so you must focus on avoiding both ends of the range.
When healthy, our bodies are in the range of 7.4. Non-neutral cleaners are used on building sites, for example, for stripping splattered plaster off of bricks, but it is highly toxic to the environment and should be strongly discouraged.
The Niceties Of Neutral Disinfectant
Let’s have a quick look at a summary of the niceties you can expect from neutral disinfectants:
- With our natural pH level hovering around 7.4, our bodies like anything touching it to have a neutral pH
- Reduced health threats and harm to surfaces
- Safe usage for people, animals and our battling environment
- Tough on dirt, not on equipment or furniture
High Acid Vs High Alkaline
A cleaning or disinfectant product that is acidic will have a pH below 7. A pH of 2 is considered highly acidic, which will dissolve protein like skin or lung lining (if breathed in) and metal. It is highly corrosive and will damage almost everything it comes into contact with.
A cleaning or disinfectant product that is alkaline will have a pH above 7. A pH of 12, for example, is highly alkaline and it too will dissolve things it comes into contact with.
As acid or alkaline cleaners react with dirt, they release gas, and when breathed in, this is highly toxic for the applicator and the users of the space.
Conclusion
While blasting away dirt and bacteria may seem like a good idea, it should be approached in a balanced way, ensuring humans, animals, the environment, equipment and furniture are not blasted away too!
Order safe and highly effective pH-neutral disinfectants and cleaners today from Bawoma.