Thoughts on Disinfecting, from our VP of Sales
Following is a reprint of an article that appeared in the July/August 2019 issue of Maintenance Sales News, reprinted with the permission of the publication.
Properly following directions can be the main differentiator between a disinfectant and sanitizer working or not working. That was the main advice given by Nyco Products Company Vice President of Sales Brendan Cavanagh. He added that directions can help end-users determine two key factors when using such products: the rate of proper dilution and the proper contact (dwell) time.
“If a disinfectant or sanitizer needs to be diluted, it’s very important that the product is used at the proper dilution level to meet specific kill claims. Also, the product will only kill germs that it claims to kill on the label,” Cavanagh said. “The proper contact time should be strictly followed as well, as per what the label states. That is the amount of time a product should remain wet on the treated surface. It’s important to let any product do what it’s intended to do.”
Nyco Products Company is a cleaning chemical manufacturer of professional cleaners, floor care chemicals, disinfectants/sanitizers and facility maintenance brands. The company was founded in 1920 and is family-owned.
“We are proud to be celebrating our 100th anniversary in 2020. Our experience and expertise have enabled our customers to grow regardless of their industry or geography,” Cavanagh said. “Representatives of Nyco sell to janitorial and food service distributors, who then call on all types of end-users. That includes those involved with education, health care, food service, park districts, municipalities, governments, facility maintenance, hospitality, industry and manufacturing and grocery.
“We offer the national Nyco brand, along with resources and know-how to help distributors build their own private chemical brands through Nyco’s unique Building Better Brands® process. At Nyco, we strongly believe in our company’s core values of integrity and commitment, while helping customers remain compliant with the many state and federal regulations found within the marketplace.”
Included in the products that Cavanagh highlighted to combat germs was the Nyco® Sani-Spritz Spray disinfectant and cleaner.
“It’s a product that we have had in our line for a long time. Nyco has been able to add some additional kill claims to that product, including a claim against emerging pathogens,” he said. “In addition, another new benefit of Sani-Spritz Spray is that it’s an effective one-step sanitizer for soft and fabric surfaces. That includes upholstered couches/chairs, seat cushions and window treatments — a great benefit for such segments as health care.”
Meanwhile, the Nyco® TB Disinfectant RTU now comes with faster contact times — as short as 30 seconds for organisms such as norovirus, according to Cavanagh.
He added that during hot summer months, food service customers, in particular, should be interested that Nyco also carries several disinfectants that kill fruit fly larvae, such as those found in commercial kitchen floor drains. Those products include UNO (lemon) and UNO (mint).
“One of the keys to Nyco Products’ success is its breadth of line. The company offers a large number of registered disinfectants, sanitizers and other items that cover many different applications,” Cavanagh said. Working with distributors to help solve the needs of their end-user customers is also essential. We provide formulating services as well as private branding of disinfectants and sanitizers for distributors who want to round out their private brand offering.”
He added it’s best if distributors can “get ahead of the game,” when it comes to helping end-users with their infectious disease control programs and objectives.
“It’s vital that distributors and end-users are properly trained prior to any outbreak. The second part of that is having access to disinfectants and sanitizers with the proper kill claims against pathogens that commonly cause outbreaks,” Cavanagh said. “Proper training will help those who clean facilities to look out for, and disinfect, high-touch, high-contact surfaces which can harbor many types of viruses and bacteria.
“At Nyco, we take pride in providing many forms of training and educational materials for not only distributors, but also their end-user customers. That helps differentiate our company from many others — the value of our training and education when it comes to disinfectants, sanitizers and other products.”
As far as recognizing the main differences between a disinfectant and a sanitizer, Cavanagh said, “In general, disinfectants are more effective and have a greater efficacy against pathogens than sanitizers. Most sanitizers are going to kill the types of bacteria that cause foodborne illness. That is why they are often used in foodservice environments. Disinfectants, meanwhile, generally have broader kill claims, which explains why they are used in a lot of health care and education settings.”
“I believe demand for both products will continue to expand. In foodservice, nobody wants to be shut down or on the news due to an E. coli outbreak. Outbreak prevention is also critical in the health care and education segments. It all boils down to using disinfectants and sanitizers the proper way.”
Cavanagh added that the internal customer service team at Nyco is highly educated in the proper use of the company’s products.
“Our website is very helpful. It includes a search area where visitors can enter the name of the pathogen they hope to kill and then find which of our products would have kill claims against it,” he said. “The website allows us to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information readily available, which is particularly helpful to people who need immediate information during non-business hours.”
As Nyco approaches its 100th year of operation, Cavanagh said the company continues to experience steady growth.
“We expect that growth to continue. Nyco Products Company has made some additions to its sales team and rep groups throughout the country, helping ensure a bright future,” he said. “The company also continues to add products, including items for its ez2mix® Dilution Control System that features portable and wall mount dispensing units. Disinfectants and sanitizers are included with that system.
“The focus at Nyco is always geared toward our distributors and their end-user customers. We only grow through our distribution network. Therefore, we look for ways to build our training, education and marketing tools. That includes fresh information on our website, videos and educational blog articles. Our main goal is to help distributors provide greater support for their own customers.”
