Disinfectant Wipes vs Rubbing Alcohol

To be able to know which one is better when talking about disinfectant wipes vs rubbing alcohol, we have to first find out their chemical content.

Most disinfectant wipes that are out in the market these days contain germ-killing compounds called “quats” or quaternary ammonium compounds that are known as potent disinfectant chemicals. Some brands contain hydrogen peroxide, while others were manufactured with benzalkonium chloride content. There are also disinfectant wipes that contain isopropyl alcohol and alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride. All these chemicals were approved by experts for use in disinfecting hard surfaces for killing SARS-CoV-2, which are viruses that cause coronavirus, as well as other viruses and bacteria.

When using disinfectant wipes, people should give it enough time to work its wonders in killing germs. Use enough wipes to ensure that the surface being disinfected will remain visibly wet for at least 4 minutes, in order to increase its contact time with the germs and be able to kill them before everything dries out.

On the other hand, rubbing alcohol that contains at least 70 percent ethyl or isopropyl is known to be effective for killing coronavirus and other disease-causing viruses and bacteria. However, experts agree that ethyl is far more superior to isopropyl in terms of their germ-killing properties.

When it is 70 percent solution, the alcohol will take more time to evaporate thus increasing its contact time with the surface, which also increases the likelihood that germs will be killed before all of the alcohol evaporates. Alcohol is ideal for disinfecting small surfaces and since it is flammable, it has to be used in well-ventilated areas only.

You can find disinfecting wipes on Amazon.