Disinfection has now become a hot topic, because of corona we are more aware of its usefulness. Not only do we wash our hands a lot more, but we also disinfect frequently used items in crowded places. Nevertheless, the knowledge of the Dutch about disinfection leaves much to be desired. For example, almost 60% of the Dutch wrongly believe that all-purpose cleaner disinfects. The Dutch are also quite lax in regularly disinfecting frequently used items, such as kitchen cupboards, telephones and remote controls.
There is a big difference between disinfecting and cleaning. Cleaning removes unwanted substances, such as dirt and stains, from surfaces or items. Germs are partly removed, but not killed. When disinfecting, micro-organisms, such as bacteria and other germs, are killed. Disinfection may only be discussed if the product kills 99.9% of the bacteria.
No less than 58% of the Dutch are not aware of this difference and think that special cleaners for the kitchen or all-purpose cleaner disinfect. 70% know that alcohol disinfects, but what they usually do not know is that there must be at least 70% alcohol in a product in order to actually disinfect. Alcohol is often not added to regular cleaning products. It is striking that not even half (42%) of the Dutch are aware that special disinfection cleaners kill bacteria and therefore disinfect. Also, only a third of Dutch people know that steaming also disinfects. This is apparent from research by HG.
It is important to regularly disinfect frequently used items, such as a telephone, keyboard, remote control or mouse. The Dutch are still quite lax about this, the research shows. For example, telephones, handles of kitchen cabinets and remote controls are never disinfected by 30%, 25% and 32% of the Dutch respectively. We disinfect our cutting boards (38%) and the counter (37%). Jeroen Mustert, CEO of HG, thinks the results are striking:“It is wise to disinfect items that are touched a lot or surfaces with a lot of bacteria, such as in the toilet or in the kitchen. However, this is only possible with products that can claim to kill 99.9% of micro-organisms. However, it turns out that many people still lack knowledge about disinfection and how best to do it.”
Disinfection is not necessarily necessary. However, by cleaning with a regular cleaning agent or an all-purpose cleaner, germs are only partially removed. In addition, it is not always easy to kill germs with regular means. This is especially difficult with certain items that are often touched by different people, such as door handles or the remote control. “In addition, the space in the house must also be carefully considered,” continues Mustert. “Germs can sometimes live for days on things and surfaces in the kitchen and toilet. These are therefore risky places in the house to transmit germs. There are only a few cleaning products on the market that actually disinfect and clean. Most disinfectants, on the other hand, are not suitable for daily use. We advise people to thoroughly immerse themselves in the correct way of disinfecting and to do this more often in certain rooms in the house.”
