An excellent summary of the advantages of Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl) has been published in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. The paper says that an ideal disinfectant and sanitiser must be non-toxic, non-corrosive, effective in various forms, and relatively inexpensive. HOCl, it concludes, may be the disinfectant of choice for coronaviruses. HOCl offers many of the desired effects of the ideal disinfectant: It is easy to use, is inexpensive, has a good safety profile, and can be used to disinfect large areas quickly and with a broad range of bactericidal and virucidal effects.

The Paper reviews the evidence for using HOCl on a daily basis, and determines that it can be used with a high predictability for disinfecting against the COVID-19 virus. The US Environmental Protection Agency has recommended numerous disinfectants against COVID-19, including HOCl.

On contact with the virus, a disinfectant such as HOCl changes the protective coat, which loses its structure.

In addition to the application of HOCl in an office environment, the Paper also considers the evidence supporting its use in a wide variety of clinical applications. It also addresses the method of application; assessing the evidence of successful application by surface spraying or by fogging.

Interestingly, the Paper claims that the ability of a sprayer to make smaller particles may help a solution’s molecules to be suspended in the air for a longer period because of their low settling velocity, which may increase the solution’s chance of coming into contact with pathogens and deactivating them.

The Paper concludes: HOCl is one disinfectant that, when combined with adequate PPE, screening and social-distancing techniques, hand washing, and high-volume evacuation suction, may help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in the outpatient setting.

As the manufacturer of Nemesis eH2O we agree that HOCl offers many of the desired effects of an ideal disinfectant – easy to use, with a good safety profile, and suitable for use in the disinfection of large areas quickly and with a broad range of antimicrobial effects.