A hospital-grade disinfectant is effective for cleaning blood and body fluids and can be used on which type of surfaces?

• A. Porous surfaces
• B. Non-porous surfaces
• C. Hair and skin
• D. Metal surfaces

Answer: (B)

Hospital-grade disinfectants work best on surfaces that won’t absorb liquids. Blood and body fluids can carry pathogens, and these products need to stay in contact with the surface for the required time to be effective. Porous surfaces absorb fluids, making it difficult to achieve thorough disinfection. Non-porous surfaces, like stainless steel, glass, sealed wood, and certain plastics, provide a smooth, non-absorbent area where the disinfectant can work properly. So the surface type these products are most effective on is non-porous surfaces. Hair and skin aren’t surfaces to disinfect in this context, and while metal is non-porous, the key idea is the non-porous nature of the surface itself.