In the ever-changing world of commercial cleaning and janitorial services, one major emphasis of professional cleaners is disinfectant dwell time—vital in achieving thorough disinfection. Disinfectant dwell time refers to the time a surface must remain visibly wet with a disinfectant to effectively eliminate harmful bacteria.

Disinfectants have specific chemicals designed to kill or neutralize pathogens. However, these chemicals require time in direct contact with a surface to achieve their intended purpose. Adhering to dwell times ensures that disinfectants have the needed time to effectively combat a wide range of sickness causing bacteria. Different disinfectants have varying dwell time requirements. Below is a chart of some disinfectants dwell times.

Dwell time also requires complete coverage of surfaces. Rushing the disinfection process may leave certain areas untreated, creating potential breeding grounds for harmful bacteria. This knowledge allows the cleaners at Hamilton Janitorial Service to select the most appropriate products for each surface and to apply them in a manner that maximizes dwell time. When disinfectants are used properly, including dwell time and coverage application surfaces are safer and healthier for public use.