10/11/2026
🚨 Let's talk about your CaviWipes! 🧻✨
Disinfectant wipes are one of the most-used products in any dental office 🦷, and one of the most misused 😬. Here's what the label actually says 👇
1️⃣ It's a two-wipe process. 🧽 The first wipe cleans off debris. 🦠 The second wipe disinfects. Disinfectants can't do their job through a layer of bioburden!
2️⃣ Contact time = wet time. ⏱️💦 The surface has to stay visibly wet for the full contact time on the label. If it dries in 45 seconds and your wipe needs 3 minutes, you didn't disinfect. You just wiped! 🙈 Use another wipe to keep it wet.
3️⃣ Know YOUR wipe. 🔍 Contact times aren't the same, even within one brand:
⏰ Original CaviWipes: up to 3 minutes
⚡ CaviWipes1 and CaviWipes HP: 1 minute
⏳ CaviWipes 2.0: 2 minutes
Grab your canister and check! 👀
4️⃣ Wipes don't work on porous surfaces. 🚫 Every major brand is labeled for hard, non-porous surfaces only. That rules out fabric 🧵, unsealed wood 🪵 and paper 📄.
5️⃣ So what about the patient chair? 🪑 Check your chair manufacturer's IFU first! 📖 Many manufacturers say not to use alcohol-based disinfectants on upholstery, because they dry it out and cause cracking 💔. Once upholstery cracks, it's porous and can't be properly disinfected. Here's the chair-friendly routine:
🛡️ Barrier the chair with a chair sleeve and change it between every patient
🧼 If a barrier tears or the chair gets contaminated, clean and disinfect with a product your chair manufacturer approves
🫧 For routine cleaning, use what the IFU recommends, often mild soap and water
🔧 Replace cracked or torn upholstery. Tape is not a fix! 🙅♀️
Small habits, big difference in patient safety ✅, and your chairs will last longer too! 💙
📚 Want your team trained on infection control the right way? I teach Dental Board–approved infection control and Dental Practice Act CE live on Zoom 💻. Send me a message 💬 or text 📱 707-548-7374 for dates and details!
