On a basic level, alcohol wipes are designed for cleaning surfaces, either to prepare them for another process or by harnessing the antibacterial properties of alcohol to prevent contamination.
Which type of wipe you should use depends upon the surface you need to clean and the reason for cleaning it.
Critical Surface Cleaning To Prevent Contamination Or Infection
If you intend to both clean and sanitise a surface you’ll need wipes that are impregnated with an alcohol concentration of at least 50% although, most quality wipes have either 70% or 90% alcohol.
At this level, ethanol and isopropyl produce a broad-spectrum antimicrobial action against bacteria, viruses and fungi including MRSA and E.coli. However, it’s important to bear in mind that concentrations higher than 70% can be less effective as a disinfectant as the alcohol evaporates faster reducing the contact time with any pathogenic microorganisms.
If you’ll be using alcohol wipes on skin to prevent infection, then Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) may be more effective as they have a natural antiseptic effect. However, long term contact should be avoided as IPA wipes can have a drying effect on repeated skin contact.
For food preparation environments or where the ingestion of alcohol residues is possible, ethanol impregnated wipes may be preferred as this form of alcohol is safer than isopropyl if ingested and is also less drying on regular skin contact.
Cleaning Applications
- Food thermometers and probes
- Hospital equipment
- Medical instruments
Industries
- Food production
- Healthcare
- Veterinarian
- Waste management
Recommended Wipes For Non-Food Surface Cleaning
Recommended Wipes For Food Surface Cleaning
- 70% Ethanol Wipes
- 70% IPA Food Safe Wipes
Recommended Wipes For Skin Surface Cleaning
General Surface Cleaning And Preparation
Quality wipes with an alcohol concentration of 70% or more can provide a powerful degreasing effect, making it easy to quickly remove grease, oils, dirt, sealants and waxes from almost any smooth surface.
For applications where minimal residues and fast evaporation are important, higher concentrations of 90% plus are recommended and can also enable effective cleaning of sensitive or delicate surfaces on electronics, instruments and metals.
Common uses for these higher strength alcohol wipes are cleaning equipment, electrofusion welding, car body painting and even the application of sticky labels where long term adhesion is important.
Cleaning Applications
- Clean rooms
- Degreasing
- Electrofusion welding joints
- Paint surface preparation
- Pre-adhesive bonding
- Print surface preparation
- Printed circuit boards
- Removing sealants and waxes
Industries
- Automotive
- Electronics
- Engineering
- Hair and beauty
- Janitorial
- Laboratories
- Manufacturing
- Printing
Recommended Wipes For General Surface Cleaning
Recommended Wipes For Heavy Duty Cleaning And Degreasing
Are Your Alcohol Wipes Up To Standard?
Alcohol wipes aren’t specifically regulated, but their claimed effects can be. If a product claims to have disinfectant or antiseptic qualities, it should meet the following EU testing standards:
Where To Buy Alcohol Wipes
Whether you require wipes for general cleaning and preparation or to disinfect critical surfaces, many of the potential applications demand reliable, high-performance results. Anything less could have a high financial and human cost.
While it’s true that alcohol wipes are widely available, not all wipe products have been designed with specific industries, applications and risks in mind.
At Marken Chemicals, we only supply quality wipes from manufacturers with strong research and industry-focused values that meet our high standards informed by more than 30 years in the cleaning chemicals industry.
If you wish to discuss the best wipe for your cleaning requirements, or if you would like to order alcohol wipes in bulk, please contact us for specific advice.
