-- One kills more germs than the other

Sanitizers and disinfectants get rid of germs in different ways and should not be used synonymously. You can disinfect a sponge in the microwave or in the dishwasher.

· The main difference between sanitizers and disinfectants is that sanitizers reduce the number of germs on a surface whereas disinfectants kill most of them.

· Sanitizers usually work faster than disinfectants, which can take up to 10 minutes to kill germs.

· The name hand "sanitizer" is a misnomer since its main germ-fighting ingredient is alcohol, which is a disinfectant.

Sanitizers and disinfectants are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and therefore, must be certified through a process that tests them to meet certain pre-defined criteria. By law, a chemical product cannot be labeled as a sanitizer or a disinfectant unless and until it is EPA certified.

Germ Specificity

Both sanitizers and disinfectants must be tested against specific germs. Chemical labels must list out each of these germs individually. One disinfectant could kill germs X and Y while another disinfectant might kill germs Y and Z. It’s important to understand that a single sanitizer or disinfectant will not kill all microorganisms, and to know which germs your products work against. Sanitizers are certified for bacteria only, while disinfectants can also be certified to kill viruses, mold, mildew, and fungi.

The time it takes to kill germs is one more factor that is important when evaluating both sanitizers and disinfectants, and this must also be listed on a product’s label. Some chemical formulas kill respective germs in 5 minutes and others in just one minute or less. This is called “dwell time” and should be taken into account when choosing and using sanitizers and disinfectants for various applications.

Summing Up…

Sanitizers kill certain bacteria, in a specific period of time, and are regulated by the EPA.

Disinfectants kill certain bacteria, viruses, mildews, or fungi, in a specific period of time, and are also regulated by the EPA.