What’s Really in Your Cleaning Products?

A simple guide to making more informed choices in your practice

Infection control products are something every practice relies on, every day.

But how often do we actually stop and look beyond the label on the front of the bottle?

At Bio Hygiene, we believe choosing a cleaning or disinfecting product should involve more than asking one simple question:

“Does it do the job?”

As Bio Hygiene’s CEO Jurgen Kuhefuss put it, in a recent Grow Community webinar:

Dental practices should look beyond whether a product simply does the job. Take the time to understand what’s in the products you’re using, how they impact your team and equipment, and what happens to them once they enter the environment.

Start with the label

The label is often the first place to look.

What ingredients are listed? Are there hazard warnings? Are there particular precautions for handling or storage?

Then go a little further.

Read the Safety Data Sheet

A Material Safety Data Sheet (SDS) can provide information that isn't always obvious from the product packaging, including hazards, ingredients, handling, storage and disposal.

If a supplier can't provide an MSDS for a product, that's worth asking about.

Bio Hygiene makes Safety Data Sheets available across our product range so practices can access this information when making purchasing decisions.

Not sure what you're looking for?

Read our guide: Understanding MSDS and GHS Labels.

Ask better questions

When you're considering a new product, ask your supplier:

• What's actually in it?
• Is it suitable for the surfaces and equipment I'm using it on?
• What precautions does my team need to take?
• What happens to the product after use?
• Where is it manufactured?
• What evidence supports the environmental claims?
• What does it actually cost per use?

These questions don't take long to ask, but they can change the way you look at the products sitting in your practice.

It's about making informed choices

This isn't about assuming one product is automatically better than another.

It's about knowing what you're buying.

Understanding the ingredients.
Reading the information.
Questioning the claims.
Considering your team, your equipment and the environment.

And then making a decision based on more than price or familiarity.

At Bio Hygiene, we believe better choices start with better information.

So next time you're reaching for a cleaning or disinfecting product, take a moment.

Read the label.

Read the Material Safety Data Sheet.

Ask the questions.

Because when it comes to infection control, being informed is part of doing the job well.

Know what you're using. Know why you're using it.

Make better-informed choices for your practice, your people and the planet.

Have a question about a product you're currently using?  Talk to the Bio Hygiene team.