The truth about products that claim to kill 99.9% germs

New Delhi, Aug 24 From SARS to H1N1 and now Covid-19, the last decade has seen many viruses and flues due to 'germs'. This has also given rise to dozens of new products which brag about their microbe-killing properties.

Preventive hygiene products including sanitisers and handwashes, home care products like floor and toilet cleaners, come with a disclaimer that they kill 99.9 per cent, or 99.99 per cent, of common bacteria and fungi. We have seen it in ads, read them on labels ad nauseum.

But have you stopped to consider what this actually implies?

A claim such as 99.99 per cent germ kill may not be a plausible promise that many products can actually keep when it comes to their performance across various types of germs like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores. While products can be 99.99 per cent effective on one type of germ may not be effective on others that are tough to disinfect.

Some of the most popular products carrying this claim are effective on only a small spectrum of germs and pathogens. The proof comes in the form of a fine print somewhere on the container that lists the germs a product actually kills. And this list may or may not include some or all of the viruses. This means the spectrum of 100 per cent is a limited one, to begin with.

Not all disinfectants and medical fluids are created equal. Contrary to popular belief, disinfectant solutions may differ from each other in many different ways. They may also have different efficacy claims and dilution ratios. The most common disinfectant solutions used for facility maintenance or deep germ kill action are composed of active ingredients like sodium hypochlorite

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