Q. What is Control III Disinfectant Germicide?

A. Control III Disinfectant germicide is a hospital grade disinfectant. It contains a special combination of two quaternary compounds, which makes it a highly effective, broad-spectrum disinfectant. By providing a hospital grade disinfectant for home care, you are assured of the same infection control at home that is available in hospitals.

Q. Is Control 111 Disinfectant germicide widely used for home care respiratory therapy?

A. On a national basis, Control III Disinfectant is the product of choice for disinfecting home care respiratory therapy equipment.

Q. Does Control Ill harm the environment?

A. Control III is environmentally friendly. When released into sewage or septic systems, Control III solution breaks down rapidly, without harm to human, animal, or plant life.

Q. Is Control III Disinfectant irritating to the skin and eyes?

A. Concentrated Control III Disinfectant, as it comes straight out of the bottle, is a primary skin and eye irritant. One should avoid contact with the concentrate on skin and eyes.

The diluted solution is neither a skin nor an eye irritant. If you do get it in your eyes, you should rinse it thoroughly with plain water for 15 minutes. Call a doctor if redness or irritation persists.

GERMICIDAL ACTION

Q. Does Control III Disinfectant kill spores?

A. Control III Disinfectant does not kill spores.

Q. Does Control III Disinfectant kill Tuberculosis?

A. Control III Disinfectant does not kill tuberculosis. However, if a tuberculocidal product is required, then Control III^® Elite should be considered. This product is a detergent/disinfectant in one ready-to-use solution. It kills all the organisms that Control III Disinfectant kills, and it also kills Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the organism that causes TB.

Q. How can Control III Disinfectant kill bacteria if it is relatively non-toxic?

A. Toxicity does not determine bactericidal effectiveness. Control III Disinfectant attacks the cytoplasm and nucleus of a bacterium by a chemical process while maintaining a low toxicity level.

HANDLING AND STORAGE

Q. Should equipment be pre-cleaned before disinfecting?

A. Proper pre-cleaning of equipment is the most important step in disinfecting your equipment. It removes all the gross soil and material which may have contaminated the equipment. After pre-cleaning, all equipment should be thoroughly rinsed with fresh water before being disinfected.

Q. What should be used to pre-clean the equipment?

A. The equipment should be pre-cleaned thoroughly with a mild detergent (such as liquid dishwashing detergent). DO NOT USE SOAP, such as bar or liquid hand soap. After pre-cleaning, rinse parts thoroughly with tap water and then immerse in a solution of Control III and water. The proper dilution for this is one ounce of Control III per gallon of water.

Q. Does freezing or excessive heat affect Control III Disinfectant?

A. Excessive heat or cold will not harm Control III Disinfectant. If the concentrate has been subjected to extreme temperatures, simply allow it to return to room temperature and shake vigorously before using.

Q. What type of container should be used for soaking?

A. Polyethylene plastic containers are recommended for soaking. This is the type bucket we provide in our home care kit. We recommend keeping the solution in an air-tight container when not in use to reduce contamination and evaporation of the solution. PVC containers are not the container of choice because they may become tacky to the touch after long exposure to Control III solution.

Q. How long does Control III Disinfectant last?

A. Control III Disinfectant, as a concentrate in its original container, has a shelf life of five (5) years. However, after a solution has been made up at a dilution of one ounce per gallon of water, the solution can be reused for up to 14 days. It should be changed sooner if it becomes visibly dirty. Control III Test Strips can be purchased, which, when immersed in a solution of Control III, turn color to indicate if the solution is still active.

Q. What is the recommended soak time for Control III Disinfectant?

A. Ten minutes is the soak time required by the EPA. Extended soak times will not harm equipment, but they will not provide greater levels of disinfecting. If PVC or natural rubber equipment is soaked for more than 20 minutes at a time, tackiness to the touch may result. While this is not harmful, it may not be desired by individual preference.

Q. Is a rinse required after disinfecting with Control III Disinfectant?

A. We recommend that after immersion of equipment in Control III solution and the completion of a 10 minute soak period, that the equipment should be rinsed with hot tap water and allowed to air dry. The equipment should then be stored in a sealed plastic bag or container, or covered with a clean towel until use.