Benefect: Frequently Asked Questions
A lot of cleaning products claim to be disinfectants, but as a consumer how
do I know that Benefect Disinfectant and Fungicide really kills germs? "Disinfectant" is actually a legal term that can only be stated on
product labels that have been proven to kill 99.999% of specific bacteria.
"Fungicide" is also a legal term that proves the product kills 99.999% of
fungi. These test bacteria and fungi are predetermined by Health Canada . In
addition to germ kill data, Health Canada scientists review the product for
other characteristics such as; how toxic the product is to our environment,
directions for safe and effective application, storage, disposal and
handling plus a complete review of the health and safety profile of the
product. When Health Canada is satisfied with all the scientific data, the
product is registered by Health Canada and a Drug Identification Number
(DIN) can be issued. After the DIN is issued the product can now be called a
disinfectant or a fungicide. The DIN for Benefect® is 02242474.
What is the difference between cleaners and disinfectants? Cleaners aren't registered with Health Canada and do not require a
Health Canada DIN to be sold into the marketplace. Cleaning products cannot
make any public health claims on their labels that they kill germs. Watch
out for "antimicrobial" cleaners or other marketing terms that allude to
killing germs. A good rule of thumb to distinguish between cleaners and
disinfectant is to make sure the product has DIN # on the label. If there
isn't a DIN on the label then be safe and just use the product to clean up
dirt and other organic matter.
Can I clean and disinfect in one step? No, all disinfectants are tested by Health Canada on a pre-cleaned
surface. If the surface is dirty when the disinfectant is applied then there
is a possibility that 1) the disinfectant will be inactivated by the dirt,
or 2) the dirt will pose a physical barrier so the disinfectant simply can't
get to the germs. It is best to use some of the Benefect Multi Purpose
Cleaner to first clean up the visible dirt so the disinfectant will work.
Make sure that you follow the directions on the disinfectant's DIN
registered label to ensure that you get the 99.999% germ kills you need.
Beware of combination cleaner/disinfectant products. Make sure you read the
DIN registered label because even these products require you to apply the
product twice. Apply once to clean and then apply again to disinfect the
pre-cleaned surface.
Should I wipe or rinse Benefect Disinfectant and Fungicide off
food contact surfaces? Always refer to the DIN registered label for specifics on applications
and directions. The DIN registered label states that Benefect
Disinfectant and Fungicide can be used on food contact surfaces and does not
require a rinse or wipe.
Does the product come in different scents? Only the lemon and clove scent is available at this time. The scent is a
direct result of the natural oils that do the germ killing. Many fragrances
that consumers are used to are actually synthetic and do not contribute to
the germ killing ability of the product. If we started to add these
synthetic fragrances to Benefect Disinfectant and Fungicide this
would alter the safety profile and we wouldn't have been able to produce a
product with no warning labels.
Why are there no warning labels? All of the natural oils that are in Benefect Disinfectant and
Fungicide are either F.D.A (Food and Drug Administration) approved as Food
Additives or on the United States G.R.A.S. (Generally Recognized as Safe)
list. When Health Canada reviewed the health and safety profile they
determined that these food grade ingredients posed no negative health
effects and that the Benefect Disinfectant and Fungicide label did
not require any warnings.
Lots of cleaning products say "Natural" but snake venom and arsenic are
natural, so how do I know that Benefect Disinfectant and Fungicide
isn't actually hurting me and my family? Health Canada 's directive is to maintain and protect public health. If
Benefect Disinfectant and Fungicide is a potential public health
threat then the Health Canada DIN registered label would need to reflect any
potential hazards. Health Canada lets us know that the products are
hazardous by putting warning labels or precautionary statements on the
labels.
The label says Benefect Disinfectant and Fungicide is for hard
surfaces, what happens if I use it on my carpet or other porous surfaces?
If you use Benefect Disinfectant and Fungicide on porous surfaces
then you cannot be sure that it will be killing 99.999% of the bacteria and
fungi. It will be killing the organisms that it comes into contact with, but
we don't know just how many. If Benefect Disinfectant and Fungicide
is sprayed on porous surfaces then it can only be said to deodorize, not
disinfect.
What does the Environmental Choice maple leaf and bird logo mean? This maple leaf and bird logo is the official logo of Environment
Canada's Environmental Choice Program (ECP). The ECP recognizes superior
products that surpass certain environmental standards and reflect
environmental responsibility and stewardship. Benefect is the only
disinfectant and fungicide in Canada to be recognized by this program. For a
complete list of Ecologo certified products please visitwww.environmentalchoice.ca.
