CleanCide FAQ

Cleaners aren’t registered with the EPA and do not require registration to be sold in the marketplace. Cleaning products do not kill germs and cannot make any public health claims on their labels that they do kill germs. Watch out for “antimicrobial” cleaners or other marketing terms that allude to killing germs but are not regulated. A good rule of thumb to distinguish between cleaners and disinfectants is to make sure the product has an EPA number on the label. If there isn’t an EPA number on the label, be safe and only use the product to clean up dirt and other organic matter.

To learn more about what to look for on the label, check out our “how to read the label guide.

CleanCide ready-to-use liquid does not require a rinse after use, even on food contact surfaces. For CleanCide Wipes, rinsing with water is required only when applied to food contact surfaces.

Yes, when used according to disinfection instructions.

Our disinfectants are tuberculocidal and tested with a 5% organic load on the surface to simulate real use cases. If there is visible debris/dirt, it is necessary to “pre-clean” to remove this prior to application, because debris can serve as a physical barrier that prevents contact with organisms and reduces product efficacy.

All Wexford labs products have the expiration date printed on the packaging next to the lot number.  The shelf life for our products are:

Design for the Environment (DfE) is part of the EPA’s Safer Choice Program that helps consumers identify products with safer chemical ingredients – without sacrificing quality or performance. You can be assured that products carrying the DfE logo meet stringent criteria to protect your family, your workplace and the environment.

If you recently switched to CleanCide from a different disinfectant, you may notice a residue or stickiness. This is especially common if the last product you used was a quaternary ammonium-based disinfectant – known as a QUAT. After a few cleanings, CleanCide should lift and remove the old residue, and there will no longer be a stickiness. If a light layer of residue does develop, a quick rinse with water after the listed contact time should resolve this.

If you recently switched to using CleanCide from a different disinfectant, you may notice a musty odor at first. That smell is CleanCide removing residue that has built up on the surface over time. This is especially true if the last product that you used was a quaternary ammonium-based disinfectant – known as a QUAT. After a few cleanings, CleanCide will lift and remove the old residue, and there will no longer be a smell.

To speed up the process, you can also clean with a high-pH degreaser product to remove residual buildup. You can also clean with a high pH degreaser product to remove the surface from any residue that will speed up the process. 

Currently our product comes with a very low (0.02%) fresh clean linen fragrance. We limit the amount of added fragrance to our products to reduce the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in our composition, which can be irritants.

CleanCide can be transported in high temperature conditions for short durations (<120°F) with no loss in product performance. Avoiding prolonged storage (warehousing) in extreme temperature conditions is advised, as product degradation may result. To maximize shelf-life, Wexford recommends storing our products between 50°F and 85°F. 

Wexford does not recommend exposing our products to extreme temperature due to the potential stress on product chemistry and packaging. While we have performed internal testing on ready-to-use CleanCide products and observed no changes in chemistry after freezing/thawing, freezing conditions can induce a phase change (expansion) that will stress the product packaging and potentially result in bottle failure/leakage.   

Freezing Point: The freezing point for CleanCide is approximately 30°F. During domestic transport we do not expect bulk shipments to freeze, but in extreme weather events, this may occur. If product is frozen, allow it to thaw and gently agitate prior to conducting cleaning and disinfecting operations.  

CleanCide has the lowest toxicity rating allowable by the EPA, which means it poses the lowest risk to the health of employees, patients, students, customers or to the environment. CleanCide is citric acid-based, which is a non-respiratory irritant, and our surface compatibility is excellent. It is tough on germs and bacteria, but gentle on surfaces and users. CleanCide provides all the benefits of an EPA approved List N disinfectant without the risk of traditional chemicals.