What Is the Safest Disinfectant?

March 25, 2021 Leave a Comment

Commercially-available disinfecting products are by nature not safe. Both the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) define disinfectants as "products containing chemicals to disinfect surfaces." They also indicate that the act of disinfecting involves using products with chemicals made to kill germs and bacteria on a variety of surfaces. At the same time, they are adamant about the dangers of using such products, with the EPA stating that "5% of childhood cancer and 30% of childhood asthma are related to chemical exposures." Much of this happens in school systems where high-grade cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting products are used. This is because children are much more susceptible to the dangers of these chemicals than adults, although adults can suffer health issues as well.


Many people wrongly assume that disinfectants labeled "green" are healthier to use. This isn't always the case. Terms like 'eco-friendly" and "green" are buzz words a lot of companies use to sell products. Some of the products are safer for people and safe for the environment, others are finding ways to skirt around specifics. That's because the rules currently governing the labeling of such products are loosely defined, giving companies leeway in using the terms. That's why it's so important to learn about the products you use and to trust the company that makes them.

So what is the safest disinfectant? One thing you can do is always ensure the products you're using are EPA-registered. This doesn't guarantee complete safety, but it's a good start when you need information. There are also some products you might want to simply avoid altogether. Products that contain chemicals very often also include pollutants that degrade our air and water quality. Those same chemicals contribute to health issues in people, are toxic to animals, and destroy the eco-system. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), phosphorus, nitrogen, and ammonia are some of the chemicals classified as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). Products using these chemicals and compounds are not safe. With the fear of COVID-19, a lot of consumers are making choices about products they think will keep them safe, without giving much regard to the other potential dangers.


Nitrogen, phosphorus, and ammonia are dangerous to water sources, even when they are used in homes and disposed of as directed. We dispose of these products by rinsing them down drains or flushing them down toilets. Our water is treated at treatment facilities meant to remove pollutants and impurities, but these chemicals aren't removed during the waste treatment processes, which lets them make way to rivers, lakes, and streams. This has a devastating impact on the quality of water and plant life, Those same chemicals even end up coming back into our homes, which creates a vicious cycle of exposure.

Besides looking for EPA-registered products , you should look for a company that makes safe cleaners and non-toxic sanitizers and disinfectants. Once you find the company, don't be afraid to call them up and ask questions. Find out if they are using artificial fragrances and what chemicals are hidden under the "fragrance" ingredient listing. You'll be surprised by what you learn.

GenEon has been in the business of safe cleaners and non-toxic sanitizers and disinfectants for years. When we say our products are sustainable and eco-friendly, we mean it. When we say our cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants won't harm people or pets, we mean that. Our company believes in transparency. GenEon is EPA-registered. Our cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting products are made by consumers using on-site generation technology like our Instaflow or our Trio Rx, which makes an EPA-registered Broad Spectrum disinfectant. On-site generation eliminates the need to keep potentially-harmful chemical-based cleaning products on site. It also creates less waste, resulting in substantial savings in the yearly cleaning costs, as indicated by customer testimonials. This is just one part of our commercial sanitizing and disinfecting solution. We also have the Mist, an advanced machine for distributing our safe cleaners and non-toxic cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants over all surfaces, including wide-open areas as well as surfaces that are hard to reach and often overlooked.


All of our cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants are made using water, electricity, and natural minerals. They are made using a process known as electrochemical activation (ECA), which even the CDC and EPA have recognized as safe and effective. Here's how it works. One of the natural minerals that GenEon uses as a catalyst is a salt. Salt is a compound comprised of sodium and chloride. Sodium ions are positively charged and chloride ions are negatively charged. GenEon Onsite Generators expose these ions to a low electrical charge. The positive side of the charge electrochemically converts the chloride ion (Cl) to hypochlorous acid (HOCl), which is a powerful sanitizer/disinfectant. The negative side of the charge electrochemically converts the sodium ion (Na) into sodium hydroxide (NaOH), which is a cleaning compound commonly found in soaps and detergents. Unlike many other OSG systems, GenEon's system is a Blended Stream System that uses both versions in the same solution. The hypochlorous solution is represented as Free Available Chlorine (FAC) that has 80-200 times the sanitizing power of chlorine bleach. Since it is produced at a near-neutral pH, it won't bleach out furniture or clothes. GenEon is the leader in on-site generation of Electrolyzed Water.

ECA Kills Most Bacteria in Seconds

Dwell time is crucial to disinfecting. Most chemical disinfectants require that a surface be kept wet for 10 minutes. ECA's disinfectant will kill most bacteria in seconds, including nasty ones like E.coli, MRSA, and norovirus. ECA also leaves no chemical residue, emits no fumes or VOCs, and has no fragrance

If you'd like to learn more about GenEon products and how you can get them into your home or business, fill out the form here on our website. A representative will be happy to help you with everything you need.