FAQ

Vivotec Fogging machines and electrostatic sprayers are quick and easy to use with minimal training. We will give you the resources and manuals required to safely and efficiently operate this system. The process is listed below in simple steps.

• PPE Requirements as applicable to disinfectant used – see disinfectants page for details.

•Adding Disinfectant to appliance: 

(Important note: to prevent dangerous chemical reactions never mix chemicals together or change chemicals without thoroughly rinsing tank and flushing machine system)

Oxivir AHP RTU is premixed to the exact formulation to achieve 1 Min kill time for viruses such as COVID-19 – simply pour directly into tank.

Oxivir AHP concentrate dilution rate is 1:16 for 5 Min viricidal action. Add 100ml concentrate to 1.6L of clean water, or for larger tanks, 250ml to 4L of water or 500ml to 8L

Klorsept 17: Fill the sprayer tank with water, then drop the required number of Klorsept tablets per litre of water into the sprayer tank to release the exact disinfectant dose to create a Hospital Grade clinical disinfectant at the correct dilution for the required application: One tablet per litre for general disinfection or four tablets per litre for high strength solution with 1 Min kill time for COVID-19.

Netbiokem DSAM is premixed at concentration approved for use in Aircraft for a 2 Min kill time for COVID-19 – simply pour directly into tank.

• Spray systematically throughout the space to be disinfected. Depending on the model used, a 500 sqm space could be covered in 15 minutes.
• Ensure the items being sprayed stay damp for the required length of time as above
• Job done, empty unused disinfectant from machine, rinse and spray 100-200ml of clean water through to flush the system, pack up and leave a fully sanitised space!

The Vivotec system is Safe and effective - safer and more effective than bleach, or quaternary ammonia. Vivotec’s all purpose Oxivir AHP and Klorsept NaDCC effervescent disinfectant tablets are powerful and versatile disinfecting and sanitising solution.
Oxivir AHP is Australian TGA registered and both disinfectants are EPA registered and are included in the EPA List N: Products with Emerging Viral Pathogens AND Human Coronavirus claims for use against SARS-COV-2.
They provide powerful and safe high-level, broad spectrum disinfection for rapid kill of viruses, including COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 and H1N1 common flu, as well as a broad range of bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, spores, and biofilms.
Netbiokem DASM is a ready to use high performance Hospital Grade Disinfectant Cleaner. It provides broad spectrum disinfection of virtually all surfaces.

Netbiokem has been tested against the relevant aviation material standards and is AIRBUS CML-14-006C and BOEING D6-7127M approved for use in disinfecting aircraft galleys, trolleys, passenger seats and tablets, luggage compartments, and all surfaces in lavatories and in the cabin.

Electrostatic misting is regarded as the ultimate touchless disinfection system, This technology takes ULV fogging to the next level. The sprayer adds a positive charge to the mist, which when sprayed at negatively charged surface (most surfaces are either negative or neutral), rather than floating in the air, the charged particles will have an attraction up to 75 times that of gravity and will be attracted to the surface and wrap around it, encapsulating it with 3D coverage. This process allows greater coverage with less passes, making it 70% faster while using 65% less chemical than traditional sprayers.

Added advantages of Electrostatic mist spraying over ULV fogging:

• With electrostatically charged mist particles being attracted to surfaces and wrapping around them, airborne mist is minimised reducing need for PPE gear, and allows for use in occupied areas. Risk of triggering fire alarm sensors is also greatly reduced. The minimal airborne mist also allows fast turnaround and re-occupation of confined spaces, with major Airlines using this technology to sanitise aircraft cabins between flights.

• Pump driven mister provides much quieter operation than high pressure fan-driven ULV machines.

• Handheld electrostatic lighter and more compact than equivalent UVL fogger, making it easy to use for anyone without requiring shoulder straps etc.

• Handheld electrostatic sprayer has inbuilt LED light to aid visibility of spraying zone.

• Small hand held units have very little overspray so can be used to disinfect small items such as door handles while the building is occupied.

• Handheld version comes with a heavy-duty carry case for convenient, safe storage and transport of sprayer kit.

• Cordless Backpack model provides efficient and broad coverage sanitisation of large areas such as construction sites, office interiors, classrooms/educational facilities, supermarkets, airports etc, making it a perfect choice for building service contractors and commercial cleaning operators.

This is patented technology and there is a global 4-month wait list, so ordering now is essential to secure from the next shipment.

Ultra Low Volume ( ULV) cold fogging spraying technology is proven to provide much more effective application. Disinfectants are dispersed as a fine mist or aerosol of micro droplets of 5-50 microns that float in the air for around 10 minutes after application, reaching the most inaccessible areas where conventional wiping, mopping, or spraying cannot reach.

Advantages of Fogging vs traditional cleaning methods:

• The broad coverage mist covers the entire area being treated leaving no surface without disinfectant

• Fogging removes the risk of cleaning personnel inadvertently missing a surface

• No risk of cross contamination, as it is a touchless process, with no rags, wipes, or mops.

• Fast application due to wide mist spread zone – e.g. disinfect a bus interior in minutes with handheld fogger, or disinfect 3000+m2/hour of interior space with electric backpack fogger.

• Significantly reduces labour cost to achieve a sanitised space

• Significantly less disinfectant use than conventional spraying

• Fogging machines are easy to use. Any staff member can do it with minimal training.

• With correct application, ULV fogging and electrostatic spraying causes no dripping or spraying stains.

• Micro droplets allow foggers/electrostatic sprayers to be used around standard office equipment such as laptops, desktops, keyboards and monitors with little clean-up required.

• Is effective not only against COVID-19, but other contact pathogens like common flu and bacterial infections such as Staphylococcus, C. diff, and E. coli

• Gives you peace of mind knowing you have protectively done all you can.

You cannot put a price on peace of mind.

The advantages of fogging and electrostatic spraying vs traditional sanitising methods:

• The broad coverage mist covers the entire area being treated leaving no surface without disinfectant

• Misting removes the risk of cleaning personnel inadvertently missing a surface

• No risk of cross contamination as it is a touchless process with no rags, wipes, or mops.

• Fogging machines are easy to use. Any staff member can do it with minimal training.

• 70% faster application than traditional spraying significantly reduces labour cost – e.g.  disinfect a bus interior in minutes with handheld mister, or disinfect 3000+m2/hour of interior space with cordless electric backpack unit.

⦁ Fine mist dispersion reduces disinfectant use by over 65% compared to conventional spraying methods

• Provides all surface disinfection not only against Covid, but other contact pathogens like common flu and bacterial infections such as Staphylococcus, C. diff, and E. coli

⦁ With correct application ULV fogging and electrostatic spraying causes no dripping or spraying stains.

⦁ Micro droplets allow foggers/electrostatic sprayers to be used around standard office equipment such as laptops, desktops, keyboards and monitors with little cleanup required

• Gives you peace of mind knowing you have protectively done all you can.

A: CLEANING is the physical removal of inorganic and organic material. Cleaning can also physically remove microorganisms. It is accomplished with water, detergents, and mechanical action. 

SANITISING is actually an approved scientific claim (tested in an accredited microbiology lab) that indicates the product lowers the number of bacterial pathogens on surfaces or objects to a safe level. A product that states to be a Sanitiser does not mean it is effective against viruses. 

DISINFECTING is the inactivation (killing) of disease-producing pathogens on surfaces and devices. 

A: Disinfection is a supplementary action to cleaning. Cleaning is carried out by wiping down surfaces with a hard surface cleaner which may or may not include an effective anti-viral disinfectant. Cleaning typically will only cover 25% of surfaces and generally wont include chairs, upholstery, keyboards etc.

Disinfecting by misting/fogging ensures all surfaces are adequately disinfected, including hard to reach areas and upholstered objects such as divider screens etc.

For the highest level of infection prevention, it is recommended that disinfecting is carried out on a regular basis, with frequency dictated by the amount of multi-user use the area has. For instance, areas like meeting rooms, taxis, Gym equipment etc, hairdressing chairs, café/restaurant tables, commercial aircraft etc should be disinfected after every use, frequently used public spaces such as lift lobbies, doors & entry points would be disinfected several times per day, while for general office space, childcare centres, construction sites & equipment, daily disinfecting may be sufficient.

A: Not necessarily – there are many cleaners, detergents, and disinfectants on the market with varying claims of effectiveness against COVID-19, but it is recommended that only disinfectants that are registered by a recognised agency (eg EPA, TGA etc) as approved for use against emerging viral pathogens are used to ensure effective viricidal action.

A: Tested and approved disinfectants will have a stated dwell or contact time, which is the length of time the disinfectant needs to remain wet on a surface to provide an effective kill against pathogens. Many disinfectants will have a contact time of 10 minutes, which means it either has to be applied very heavily or re-applied to ensure it doesn’t evaporate before it has achieved an effective kill.

Vivotec’s disinfectants have the fastest tested and registered Virus kill times of 1-5 Min, meaning less disinfectant has to be used, minimising risk of saturation damage, dripping, streaking or residue, while also minimising costs.

A: Potentially in a controlled lab situation this may be possible, but practically in the real world it depends on many factors such as how much dirt or dust build-up will occur, and whether the surface will be cleaned again, potentially wiping off the residual chemical.

Many active ingredients of disinfectants also need to be wet to work so may not have ongoing effectiveness once dry.

Due to these factors there are no approved protocols for establishing or validating residual Viricidal activity, therefore any viricidal residual activity claims are not TGA approved, and are in breach of the Therapeutic Goods Act, so such claims should be treated with caution.

A: All surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected frequently every day. This would include doorknobs and push or panic bars on exit or fire doors, light switches, scanners, lunchroom tables, bathrooms, workstation surfaces, keyboards, telephones, cell phones…any surface that might be touched by multiple people. Also surfaces frequently touched in break rooms or eating areas, such as coffee pot handles, refrigerator handles, etc. If you wear work gloves during your shift, it is still recommended to wash or sanitize your hands after removing those gloves before touching other objects.

A:  Good hand hygiene is the cornerstone of staying healthy. Everyone must either wash their hands with soap and water (if they are visibly dirty) or use hand sanitizer (if the hands look clean) before touching their face, before eating, after coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose, before entering a shared space such as a lunchroom or breakroom and at the start and end of a shift. If using soap, lather for 20 seconds before rinsing off the soap. If using hand sanitizer, your hands should remain wet for at least 20 seconds, while rubbing the sanitizer on all aspects of your hands. 

A: World Health experts predict COVID-19 will continue to be a significant threat until populations either achieve herd immunity or alternatively there is an effective vaccine widely available, which is expected to at least 12-18 months away.

It only takes one person to start a cluster, so until these milestones are reached, there is risk of further outbreaks, especially once borders are opened again. Apart from the COVID pandemic, It is important to minimise chances of potential community transmission

of other viruses such as the common flu, and future emerging COVID like infectious diseases through maintaining pre-emptive measures including  good hygiene standards  and effective sanitising programmes.

Prevention is better than cure.

A: The COVID-10 virus is only one of the many pathogens which are eliminated by disinfecting. Approved disinfectants such as Vivotec’s PREempt, Klorsept, and Netbiokem, are all highly effective against a broad spectrum of virus’s, bacteria, spores, and other pathogens, including the H1N1, common flu virus, HIV, Staphylococcus, Hepatitis B, Norovirus, Salmonella, E.Coli etc.

According to Forbes Magazine the loss of productivity through absenteeism through illness costs American businesses over $575 billion dollars every year.

Every year, seasonal influenza infects one in four people, and in New Zealand accounts for over 30,000 G.P visits, 2000 hospitalisations and an estimated 500 deaths.

In many cases these infections are spread unwittingly. Around 80% of Flu cases are asymptomatic carriers who could have spread the virus among their family, co-workers, classmates and patients without ever realising it.

The annual cost to New Zealand businesses through absenteeism due to illness is immense, with Business NZ/Southern Cross studies showing an absent employee typically costs their employer around $1000 a year.  In 2018, the average absence level of 4.7 days per employee amounted to an estimated 7.4 million workdays lost, with direct costs of absenteeism amounting to $1.79 billion.

Case studies involving schools and Universities in America have shown significantly reduced illness absenteeism following the implementation of a regular disinfecting programme.

A: A reason for creating a scent-free product is to avoid the masking of odours. In most cases, the smell of a cleaner and disinfectant has the effect of masking the odour of the chemical and ultimately the odour in the room or facility. Clean really has no smell. It is the absence of smell due to the absence of any odour causing materials. When you clean and disinfect with Netbiokem there isn’t a scent to mask the cleanliness, and with the Klorsept NaDCC there is just a faint chlorine scent which quickly dissipates. Your room or facility will eventually just smell clean.

Addition of scents which very often contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) to cleaning and disinfectants is also one of the leading causes of fragrance sensitivity and negative affects to indoor air quality. By creating a product that is scent free there are fewer negative reactions by end users, fewer complaints by occupants of the facility and therefore, from an Occupational Health & Safety standpoint a better product to use.

The Hydrogen Peroxide component of AHP is an oxidizing agent, meaning it will oxidize and destroy certain compounds. Typically, the scents used in most cleaners fall into this group. It would be difficult to find a scent that would stay stable in the solution.

A:  To avoid surface tarnishing or streaking of surfaces, AHP & NaDCC are not recommended for use on brass, copper, marble, exposed raw steel/cast iron or zinc coatings. See data sheet for full materials compatibility.  Unlike bleach, AHP & NaDCC solutions do not discolour fabrics, but should not be used on non-colourfast fabrics, wool or silk fabrics, or any fabric with a special finish. If applying around fabrics, test on an inconspicuous area prior to use. Depending on application method, at the high strength 1 Min COVID kill dilution rate, there may be some very slight residue visible on smooth surfaces such as glass, plastic and stainless, which can be easily wiped off once dry.

Netbiokem DSAM disinfectant is approved by AIRBUS and BOEING for use in aircraft interiors and will not harm or damage fabrics, plastic, metals, rubber or other surfaces, and does not leave and visible residue.

A: Higher than you would like to think! – every public surface can potentially be contaminated with bacteria or viruses including, staph, hepatitis, norovirus, strep, HIV, salmonella, Influenza H1N1, rhinoviruses, C.Diff spores and much more.

Research has shown that:

The average desk was found to have 400 X more bacteria than a toilet seatTests proved that in just a few hours, viruses can spread to 60% of a building occupants from a single door knob. Studies determined that 28% of gym surfaces tested positive for contamination statistics showed 3 out of 4 norovirus outbreaks occur in long term care facilities and nursing homes. Norovirus is the #1 cause of acute gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide. The common cold Rhinovirus is the main reason the majority of our population misses school or work each year. Every year one in four people are infected with influenza in New Zealand. Around 80% of these people are asymptomatic carriers who could have spread the virus among their family, co-workers, classmates and patients without ever realising it. Flu accounts for over 30,000 GP visits and 2000 hospitalisations each year. It is estimated flu causes 500 deaths a year in New Zealand – more than the road toll.

A: Depending on application method and complexity of space (ie amount of objects, furniture etc) 1 litre of disinfectant solution will provide coverage for approx 150-260m2

Relative cost of disinfectants:

Klorsept NaDCC tablets:

General disinfectant (10 min contact time) = 1 tablet per litre of water = $0.345/LHigh strength solution (5min contact time) = 2 tablet per litre = $0.69/LHospital Grade solution (1 min contact time) = 4 tablet per litre = $1.38/L

Oxivir AHP RTU Hospital Grade ready to use (I min contact time) = $15.32/L

Oxivir AHP Concentrate Hospital Grade 1:16 dilution

(5 min contact time for viruses & bacteria) = $1.58/L, or 1:64 solution for (5 min contact time for viruses, 10 min for bacteria) = $0.39/L 

Netbiokem Aircraft approved Hospital Grade , ready to use (2 min contact time) = $13 - $19.50/L

A: All devices sold by Vivotec are covered by a One Year Limited Warranty. will repair or replace, without charge, any defects due to faulty materials or workmanship for one year from the date of purchase. This warranty does not cover part failure due to normal wear, tool abuse, damage or corrosion caused by non-approved chemicals, For further details of warranty coverage and warranty repair information email us at sales@vivotec.co.nz