Antimicrobial disinfectants and sanitizers: An effective tool for breaking the circle of pandemic disease

The recent outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic has triggered the world in finding and developing efficient disinfectants and sanitizers. This deadly contagious virus has urged all scientist to study the natural characteristic of the virus and thus, to be able to produce the suitable antiviral drug. As developing vaccine is long time-consuming process, the development of disinfectants and sanitizers are necessary to reduce the spread of this pandemic disease. Many types and version of these products have developed and marketed. Several issues, such as the high percentage of alcohol, the high flammability of the product, and many more have arisen. This review provides a comprehensive overview on the type of chemicals used as antimicrobial in general and antiviral in specific agents. In addition, it also discusses the chemical and herbal formulations, factors affecting the performance of antimicrobial agents, the safety precautions, and the future trend of sanitizers and disinfectants. Ultimately, the choice for the best disinfectants and sanitizers formulation would depend on the sensitivity of the surfaces regardless of on skin or other surface materials.