Disinfectant Residues: Mitigation And Management

By Christina Adkison

Cleanroom residues can be generated by the process, raw materials, and people, but a significant contributor to the residues in a cleanroom are the disinfectants themselves. Disinfectants residue is anything left behind by the disinfectant on surfaces, equipment, windows, etc. Residues are inevitable when using a disinfectant.

Cleaning and disinfection are often two words that are used interchangeably, when in fact, they have two different meanings. Cleaning is physically removing organic matter from surface. Disinfection is the use of antimicrobial agents to kill microorganisms on the surface. Residue removal is specific to cleaning.

Most commonly used disinfectants leave significant residues on a surface, which can subsequently have a detrimental effect microbial control in the cleanroom. Learn about the general guidelines for removal of disinfectant residues and a common method for measuring the potential for residues.