How Enzymatic Cleaners Work: The Science Behind Their Cleaning Power

In healthcare facilities, getting rid of medical waste is not easy. The process involves thorough cleaning, disinfection, or sterilization of the instruments, medical clothing, machine, etc. to kill all the germs. However, despite being a time-consuming process, cleaning is rewarding as it significantly reduces the incidence of infections. One of the commonly employed products for cleaning medical waste is enzymatic cleaners which are solutions containing biological enzymes. If you are wondering how enzymatic cleaners work, these have enzymes that break down the organic stains in the waste and are thus highly effective.  

But how enzymatic cleaners work and how efficient are they in performance? Let’s find out.

How Enzymatic Cleaners Work?

Before learning how enzymatic cleaners work, it is essential to understand the nature of the components present in medical waste.

Nature of Medical Waste

Usually, this waste comprises of:

· Urine

· Blood

· Fecal matter

· Body fluids

· Tissues

· Mucous

In addition, enzymatic cleaners can also clean the following substances:

· Food stains

· Grease

· Soil

· Grass stains

· Mould

· Animal fecal matter (Cat urine, feces, etc.)

Enzymes Present in Enzyme Cleaners

Different enzymatic cleaners are loaded with different kinds of enzymes. If you want to know how enzymatic cleaners work, it is essential to learn which enzymes are present in them. Therefore, the following table addresses the question of how enzymatic cleaners work by enlisting their composition and the stains they work on:

Enzymes Present in Bio Enzymatic Cleaners	Their Role	Stains These Enzymes can Clean
Proteases or Proteolytic Enzymes	Ideal for cleaning protein-based stains	Blood, urine, feces, food containing meat and eggs, beverages, etc.
Amylases	Suitable against carbohydrate stains	Food materials such as gravy, sugar, eggs, etc.
Lipases	Breaks down fatty acids or oil-based substances	Oils and greases
Cellulases	Employed for softening paper towels or other fabrics while preventing color fading	Attack soil particles

Cleaning Process

While learning how enzymatic cleaners work, it is important to know their cleaning process. The above-mentioned enzymes present in the enzymatic cleaners speed up the chemical reactions occurring in the stains by non-pathogenic bacteria. This way, the components in the stains or other medical waste are quickly broken down into smaller pieces.

These pieces now become smaller enough for the bacteria to metabolize and produce simple components like water and carbon dioxide. As these components of the stain are food for bacteria, they grow tremendously and millions of new bacterial cells are formed within a short time.

These cells then finish the proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates present in the stain or medical waste. When these components are completely gone, bacteria do not get enough food to survive. As a result, the bacterial cells also die. Even if they don’t, these remaining bacterial cells wash away when the stain is put under water.

How to Increase the Efficiency of Enzymatic Cleaners?

Once you know how enzymatic cleaners work, it is also important to keep in mind which parameters can maximize their performance. Therefore, to get benefit from the enzymatic cleaners while ensuring safety, it is best to look into the following parameters:

Check the Nature of Enzymes

Depending upon the type of stain you have at hand, it is best to look for the enzymes that can clean it up. For instance, if the stain is of blood, protein-based enzymes are the best choice for this waste.

Once you know how enzymatic cleaners work and which enzymes are required for which stains, choose an enzymatic cleaner that has those enzymes in it. As different enzymatic cleaners carry different types and concentrations of enzymes, it is good to go through the ingredients list before making a purchase.

Check the Nature of Bacteria

It is important to remember that the enzymatic cleaners contain bacterial cells that are responsible for making enzymes which are then used for cleaning. Therefore, it is essential to find out which bacterial cells are present in the cleaner so you may find out how enzymatic cleaners work against certain stains.

Make sure that the bacteria present in the enzymatic cleaners are not harmful to the human body. These should also be live bacteria as dead bacterial cells cannot produce enzymes.

Check the Concentration of Enzymes

Apart from their nature, it is also essential for the enzymatic cleaners to have sufficient concentration of enzymes. These bacterial cells are measured in UFC/ml or unit-forming colonies per milliliter. If a cleaner has live bacterial cells but in smaller concentrations, the chances are that the cleaning process will be slow due to the smaller number of enzymes.

Check the Conditions

Apart from their nature and concentration, bacterial cells also need to survive in the enzymatic cleaners in order to keep producing the enzymes. For this purpose, ideal conditions should be provided to the product which include an optimal temperature between the ranges of 15°C to 40°C. In addition, the pH of the system should also be between 5.5 to 9.

What to Avoid?

Although enzymatic cleaners are safe to use and are usually highly effective against almost all kinds of stains, there are some factors that can reduce their performance and cleaning action. Therefore, the following should be avoided at all costs while using an enzymatic cleaner:

Say No to Hot Water

While learning how enzymatic cleaners work, it is important to know that enzymes are highly sensitive to any changes in temperature. Therefore, if you use enzymatic cleaners with hot water, they either become less active or completely inactive. Moreover, high temperature often leads to altered pH as well which further reduces enzyme efficacy.

Avoid High Alkalinity

Highly basic or alkaline pH tends to change the functional groups of the enzymes like –COOH and –NH₂. These groups are essential for keeping the enzymes intact and in shape. If these groups are altered, the structure of the enzyme is changed and thus it does not work. Therefore, while learning how enzymatic cleaners work, it is essential to know how to maximize their performance by keeping them intact.

Avoid Mixing Other Chemicals

All enzymes have an active site that is responsible for breaking down the components in the medical waste. If different substances are mixed with enzymatic cleaners in the same spray bottle, these harsh chemicals block the active sites. Subsequently, the enzymes cannot work.

No Exposure to Sunlight

Once again, due to high sensitivity to high temperatures, the enzymatic cleaners must never be exposed to sunlight. The high intensity of the sunlight as well as the presence of ultraviolet (UV) radiations increases the temperature of these cleaners and deteriorate them quickly. Such products might not be able to work altogether or their activity might be reduced.

Never Leave the Container Open

Like temperature and pH, the enzymes cannot tolerate oxidation, a reaction that happens in the presence of oxygen. If the container of the enzymatic cleaner is left open, the enzymes keep reacting with the oxygen present in the air. Consequently, the product is inactivated.

Caution

When it comes to learning how enzymatic cleaners work while handling them, it is important to follow the given instructions:

• The container of the enzymatic cleaners should be opened with care. Make sure not to spill.
• It is best to wear gloves as well as eye protection while handling enzyme-containing products as enzymes can react with your skin or eyes and cause damage.

Disposing of the Enzymatic Cleaner Containers

Apart from knowing how enzymatic cleaners work, it is also important to find out how to dispose of the used containers. While disposing of the container of an enzymatic cleaner, it is recommended to wash the bottle thoroughly at least 3 times with water to make sure no enzymes or bacterial cells are present in it. The used water should be disposed of into the drains. As the enzymes as well as the bacterial cells are biodegradable, these will be degraded in the sewage water.

Enzymatic Cleaners at Health Supply 770: Products and Specifications

Enzymatic cleaners are the products that are employed in healthcare facilities, industries, as well as in home settings to achieve thorough cleaning of medical waste. If you are wondering how enzymatic cleaners work, keep in mind that these are chemical agents that carry bacterial cells. These cells make enzymes which then deal with the cleaning.

Due to their employment in clinics, hospitals, as well as at homes, many brands manufacture and market enzymatic cleaners. Some of these products are available at Health Supply 770 and have been enlisted as follows along with their prices and purchase links:

10-4400 Metrex EmPower Enzyme Cleaner Fragrance-Free 4/CS

$111.80

(4 boxes per case)

10-4400 Metrex EmPower Enzyme Cleaner Fragrance-Free 4/CS

Product Details

10-4400 Metrex EmPower cleaner is a fragrance-free product that has high efficacy against tough stains and other impurities. Its constituents include two proteases or protein-digesting enzymes along with some lipases as well as amylases. Therefore, these cleaners can deal with almost all kinds of organic impurities.

When it comes to the nature of the stains, any cloth or instrument containing mucous, urine, fecal matter, blood, or body fluids can be cleaned with the help of these Metrex EmPower cleaners. Furthermore, their non-foaming technology allows effective cleaning with minimum mess.

Moreover, the product does not corrode instruments or automated machines as it is even less corrosive than distilled water. Speaking of automated machines, not all cleaners are suitable for them but these 10-4400 Metrex fragrance-free EmPower enzymatic cleaners can be employed on such devices without any risk of damage.

When it comes to learning how enzymatic cleaners work, it is essential to look for products that can be used in multiple healthcare settings. Due to their efficient performance, these EmPower cleaners can be employed to pre-soak both critical and semi-critical medical devices prior to conducting a major surgery.

Following this cleaning, high-level disinfection or thorough sterilization is also required as the enzymatic cleaners cannot guarantee 100% germ-free products. Because these cleaners are free from fragrance or any kind of added scents, the risk of respiratory irritation to those with sensitive airways is minimal.

J& J Healthcare 2252 Detergent, Enzymatic Enzol GL

J& J Healthcare 2252 Detergent, Enzymatic Enzol GL

Product Details

J& J Healthcare 2252 detergent, enzymatic Enzol GL is considered one of the most widely used enzymatic cleaners in the US. While learning how enzymatic cleaners work, it is easy to say that the Enzol cleaner is quick in its enzymatic action. Due to its rapid action formula, it quickly acts on the hard-to-remove stains and breaks their components into smaller fractions which are then cleared with rinsing.

Medical waste products such as feces, mucous, blood, or other bodily fluids can be cleared easily using Enzol enzymatic cleaners. Apart from stains, these cleaners are also effective odor removers and thus can be used for odor elimination related to pet urine.

The no-stain formula of these cleaners is helpful as it makes sure the product does not leave behind any color, film, or impression on the medical clothing and instruments. Moreover, these J& J Healthcare 2252 Enzol enzymatic detergents are also suitable for cleaning washer decontaminators as well as automatic endoscopes. In addition, items such as ultrasonic cleaners can also be subjected to enzymatic cleaning.

Another important feature these J& J Healthcare 2252 Enzol cleaners, unlike laundry detergents, have is that they do not alter the pH level of the clothing or the instrument. As a result, the products remain protected and their longevity is not compromised. It is an important feature to look for while learning how enzymatic cleaners work.

At the above-mentioned price, 4 gallons of Enzol enzymatic cleaners as well as a pump are provided by the manufacturer. As the shelf-life of the product is higher, it can be used for many weeks to come. These enzyme cleaners can be used on both hard and soft surfaces.

*Note: The prices mentioned in the article are taken from the Health Supply 770 website. They may vary over time.

All the enzymatic cleaners mentioned in the article, along with many other medical supplies, can be ordered from Health Supply 770 , a reliable name when it comes to medical products. They have a 30-day money-back guarantee and provide your products to you in the shortest possible time. Click the links given at the end of the article to check out the different types of enzymatic cleaners.

Bottom Line

When it comes to cleaning medical equipment, instruments, as well as medical clothing, the real issue is to get rid of the blood, urine, fecal matter, as well as bodily fluids. As these materials harbor microbes, they become the main cause of transmitting infections.

To deal with such waste materials, enzymatic cleaners have been introduced into the market. When it comes to knowing how enzymatic cleaners work, it is important to take a look at their composition. These contain bacterial cells that produce enzymes for the breakdown of protein stains, carbohydrate stains, lipids stains, etc. These products are easy to employ and they tend to clear the stains within 10 to 15 minutes.

Keeping in view their efficacy and frequent utilization, every healthcare facility should keep a stock of these products. In this regard, for ordering different kinds of enzymatic cleaners, reliable vendors like Health Supply 770 should be approached. They ensure the provision of quality products along with satisfactory services.