Vinegar is not safe to use as a disinfectant for any medical equipment.
Hydrogen Peroxide & Peracetic Acid
Several combination hydrogen peroxide/peracetic acid products are cleared by the FDA as disinfectants in health care settings. Combining peracetic acid with hydrogen peroxide increases its effectiveness, especially against glutaraldehyde-resistant mycobacteria.
Healthcare Floor Disinfecting Solutions
There are a few disinfecting chemicals to look for when selecting a floor disinfectant. The ones commonly used in clinical settings include quaternary ammonium, phenolic disinfectants, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium hypochlorite.
A solution of one part sodium hypochlorite to five parts water is recommended as the disinfectant with a contact time of 30 to 60 minutes.
Formaldehyde along with alcohol is traditionally used to sterilize equipment such as surgical instruments and hemodialyzers. Paraformaldehyde (the formaldehyde solid polymer) in combination with low temperature vapor is also used to disinfect heat-sensitive appliances.
“Of course, vinegar does eliminate some things, but it's important to note it's not a complete solution to disinfectant. It is only 90% effective against bacteria and around 80 percent effective against viruses and mold or mildew. Bleach, however, eliminates 99.9% of bacteria, viruses, and mold or mildew.
Vinegar is very effective at cleaning precisely because of the acid, which will break down grease, grime and dirt easily. Be warned though, it can damage some surfaces so always check – or test patch – before you use vinegar, especially neat vinegar, for cleaning.
If bleach is mixed with other cleaning products, such as limonenes found in common citrus cleaners, these tiny particles become especially harmful. Risks from bleach vapors are exacerbated if a person has asthma or heart disease, and they could potentially lead to hospital admission or even death.
Choosing a Disinfectant for Health Care Facility
A disinfectant solution is considered appropriate when the balance between the antimicrobial activity, required disinfection level, toxicity of the product, ease of use and cost is satisfactory for the given application.
A hospital-grade disinfectant is a cleaning solution that is suitable for sanitizing a building's surfaces- floors, counters, etc. This type of powerful disinfectant is registered with the EPA as a hospital-level solution that kills bacteria, kills pathogenic viruses, and destroys fungus.
Area is prepped – Any potentially contaminated materials are removed. The room is stripped of linens, curtains, and any other supplies. If items cannot be cleaned they are discarded. Terminal cleaning takes place - This is a common cleaning method used in health care to control the spread of infections.
More than 5,000* hospitals in the U.S. rely on Clorox Healthcare disinfectants to safeguard patient environments.
Hypochlorite is used in hospitals as a high-level disinfectant for some types of equipment and a low-level disinfectant for noncritical environmental surfaces. In lower concentrations, it is widely used as a disinfectant for treating potable water. Currently, it is rarely used as an antiseptic.
Distilled white vinegar usually has an acidity around 5%, which gives it the power to cut through dirt, mineral deposits, and hard-water stains. This acidity also gives it some mild disinfectant properties, though we don't recommend relying on vinegar for thorough disinfection.
“Set time,” or the time a disinfectant must rest on a surface in order to work effectively, is also important. The set time for vinegar can be up to 30 minutes.
Vinegar works well on dirt, mold and mineral deposits as well as on other acid stains including coffee. Therefore, you may have found vinegar did a good job removing your coffee or tea stain. Hydrogen peroxide works differently than vinegar and is better at removing different types of stains.
Both distilled and white can be used in cooking, cleaning, food preservation, and for medical and laboratory purposes. However, since white is stronger than its counterpart, it is more suitable for cleaning and disinfecting.
Isopropyl alcohol, or rubbing alcohol, is even better than vinegar for most things! While vinegar is a great acid that can clean build up like coffee makers, steam clean the microwave, or loosen up carpet stains, it is not a registered disinfectant.
Most people agree that the basic difference is the level of purity. Simply put, distilled vinegar has been purified more than white vinegar. Furthermore, there are some dissimilarities when it comes to chemical structure, production, and usage. White vinegar is sometimes also referred to as spirit vinegar.
Clean their upper body, arms, and legs. Clean under and around their fingernails with a cotton bud or nail brush. Help them roll or turn as needed so you can thoroughly clean the patient's back, genitals, and buttocks area with a towel or sponge. Be sure to clean within any folds and then dry those areas thoroughly.