With so many disinfecting options available, it can be hard to determine which one is the right fit for your business or facility. To help you understand your options, we’ve provided overviews of the four most common disinfectant spray applicators. 

Hand pump sprayers 

The classic spray bottle or hand pump sprayer was the go-to cleaning solution applicator for janitorial crews long before COVID-19 hit. They are typically seen as the cost-effective option and don’t require special training to use. However, while spray bottles are easy to use and inexpensive, they are not the most efficient disinfectant applicator for all spaces. When you’re dealing with large areas or surfaces, using a manual spray bottle can be a slow and tiring process. Additionally, getting even surface coverage is not guaranteed. 

Non-electrostatic sprayers or misters

Within the last couple of years, high-pressured, non-electrostatic sprayers have been introduced as another option for applying disinfectants. Some of these sprayers include repurposed airless paint sprayers, which can disperse disinfectants quickly due to their high flow rates. However, because most of these sprayers were not originally designed to house harsh chemical disinfectants, key components may corrode and fail quicker than other spray methods. Additionally, these sprayers may deliver too little or too much pressure, which can impact coverage and operator safety.

Fogging sprayers 

Fogging sprayers (also known as foggers) distribute chemicals as a fine, fog-like mist or aerosol. Foggers have most often been used for pest control or for deodorizing spaces. But since the COVID-19 pandemic, their use has expanded to disinfecting. There are generally two categories of foggers: thermal and ultra-low volume (ULV). Thermal foggers use heat to vaporize the chemical while ULV foggers use an electric blower to spray the chemical at a small micron level.

Fogging sprayers can cover large areas rather quickly. However, the total process of using a fogger to disinfect can be more time consuming than other spray methods. This is because time is needed to properly seal a room and air ducts before spraying. It can also take a significant amount of time for the sprayed chemical to spread throughout the space, cover surfaces and settle before the space is usable again. 

Electrostatic sprayers 

Electrostatic spray technology was first popularized in the 1940s as an automotive paint sprayer. Around the 1980s, it made its appearance in the agriculture industry as a pesticide and fertilizer applicator. More recently, use of electrostatic sprayers has expanded into areas of sanitizing and disinfecting.   

Most electrostatic sprayers work by giving disinfectants a positive charge so that they seek out and cling to the negatively or neutrally charged surfaces they’re sprayed upon. The positively charged particles also repel each other like magnets — creating an even coating across the sprayed surface, wrapping around curves and reaching into corners.

How do electrostatic sprayers compare?

A typical hand pump sprayer takes about three times longer to coat a surface compared to a Victory Innovations electrostatic sprayer.* That’s because of two things: electrostatic sprayers automate the expulsion of liquids and the like-charged chemical particles are driven apart for more even, widespread coverage. Watch the video below to see just how much time Victory electrostatic sprayers can save compared with traditional spray bottles.

Victory Innovations electrostatic sprayers are also designed to handle corrosive chemicals, meaning they can stay in use longer than repurposed high-pressured sprayers. And compared to foggers, electrostatic sprayers don’t require room sealing prior to spraying. The sprayed particles also evenly wrap around and coat surfaces. Once the surface is dry, the space is usable again. You can learn more about the differences between electrostatic sprayers and foggers by checking out our Foggers vs. Electrostatic Sprayers infographic.

If you’re interested in learning more about electrostatic spray technology, you can check out our What is electrostatic spray technology? article or schedule a free virtual demo.

*Based on internal testing comparing Victory Sprayer to manual hand pump sprayer.

To learn more about Victory Innovations electrostatic sprayers, request a live demo.