Many medical device cleaning agents are consist of preservative agent and disinfectant agent mixed in product. The target for add preservative and disinfectant agent is make product stable, long life and long performance.

Nowadays, many people are confused between preservative and disinfectant in term of function; they think it’s same chemical or same function but actually, both of agent not similar and not the same function.

  • Preservative or Biocide

      Preservative act as safe product from micro organisms which cause spoilage. Preservative will inhibit microorganism’s growth so micro can’t survival and improve shelf life for product. Preservative was used in many products such as cleaning detergent, cosmetic product and food. The preservative that are commonly used today include CIMT/MIT, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium benzoate, Potassium sorbate and etc.

  • Disinfectant

         Disinfectant is very specific function; it kills or eliminate microorganism. Many disinfectant products are popular because they can kill bacterial, fungi and virus. In market, disinfectant products can divide 2 product that are only disinfectant and detergent with disinfectant for all in one stop. The disinfectant that are commonly used today include Benzalkonium chloride, IPMP, Triclosan and etc.

From the data there are already differences in the functions of each substance. Now it is up to the user to choose and use it appropriately and taking into account the safety of consumers