Hygiene Atlas

Atlas · Plate XIV · Infection Control · 09

Surface disinfection

Match the disinfectant to the job. Intermediate-level, tuberculocidal products go on clinical surfaces soiled with blood, and low-level products handle housekeeping surfaces. Always clean first, then disinfect, and respect the label contact time. Alcohol is a poor surface disinfectant because it evaporates fast, and barriers suit hard-to-clean spots like light handles and switches.

High-yield facts · 8

  1. Order of resistance (most to least): prions, bacterial spores, mycobacteria, nonenveloped viruses, fungi, vegetative bacteria, enveloped viruses.S65
  2. High-level disinfectants kill everything except large numbers of spores.S65
  3. Intermediate-level disinfectants kill M. tuberculosis (tuberculocidal) and are used on clinical surfaces visibly contaminated with blood.S7
  4. Low-level disinfectants kill vegetative bacteria, some fungi and enveloped viruses (e.g., HIV, HBV); used on housekeeping surfaces.S7
  5. Common surface disinfectants: iodophors, phenolics, sodium hypochlorite, quaternary ammonium compounds; follow label contact time.S7
  6. Alcohol is not recommended for surface disinfection because it evaporates quickly and does not clean well.S7
  7. "Clean, then disinfect": precleaning removes debris; a cleaner-disinfector product can do both with two separate applications.S7
  8. Surface barriers are changed between patients and suit surfaces hard to clean (light handles, switches, keyboards).S7

Facts are written in our own words; each tag links to its source. Values marked "sources vary" differ between references, so check the one your program uses.