What is true of soaps and other products that do not have the word disinfectant on the label?

• A. They are merely cleaners.
• B. They disinfect on contact.
• C. They sanitize skin.
• D. They sterilize instruments.

Answer: (A)

Cleaners remove dirt, oils, and many microbes by washing them away; they’re designed to clean, not to kill germs. If a product doesn’t carry the word disinfectant on its label, it hasn’t been tested and approved to disinfect, so you can’t rely on it to disinfect surfaces or tools. In salon practice, disinfection requires an EPA-registered disinfectant, and sterilizing instruments uses a different, stronger process. So these products are best described as cleaners rather than disinfectants.