You all know what a disinfectant is supposed to do, but did you know that different types of disinfectants kill different bugs? Did you also know that disinfectants can also be adversely affected by the materials they are cleaning?

The chart shown below outlines the good and bad sides of different disinfectants.

Product

For

Against

Bleach

Effective against a wide range of bacteria.
Widely available.
Easy to dispose of.
Cheap.

Effectiveness is affected by concentration.  The concentration of bleach is hardly ever printed on bottles and there is no standard concentration when sold through ordinary retail outlets.

Limited effect against viruses. Rapidly neutralized by organic matter which makes it ineffective in an aviary environment where large amounts of organic material are commonly present.
Corrosive, even on some metals. Will rot many natural materials (wood, cloth etc...)

Fumes toxic to birds.

Unstable.  Its disinfecting abilities degrade with time.

Glutaraldehyde / Formaldehyde

Effective against bacteria.

Slow acting, 2-12 hours needed for full effect.

Very strong smell.

Neutralized by organic matter so prior cleaning is necessary.
Complicated to use, (requires activating). 

Short shelf life, 60% of activity is lost within 4 weeks of activating.

Toxic.  Very hard to dispose of.  Many waste contractors will refuse to remove or empty Septic Tanks which contain aldehyde contaminated effluent.

Formaldehyde causes respiratory distress and allergic dermatitis in humans.

Alcohols

Effective against bacteria, limited effectiveness against viruses.

Some types of Alcohol (isopropanol) are ineffective against viruses; others only affect certain types of virus.  Unlikely to be effective against fungi and algae.

Very strong solution - 70% - required to be effective.

Does not penetrate well into organic matter (e.g. wooden perches, nest boxes and cages)

Expensive

Highly flammable

Hydrogen Peroxide

Very effective against bacteria and viruses

Explosive in strong concentrations. MUST NOT be kept in air tight conditions.

Degrades with time

Hard to obtain.  Only commonly available in powder form in denture cleaners where the explosive nature of the chemical has been controlled.

Halogenated Tertiary Amines

Enviroclens

Effective against bacteria, viruses, fungi and algae.
Biodegradable.
Safe, non-corrosive and easy to use.
No toxic fumes or strong smells given off.
Can be used in the presence of birds so long as no puddles are left.  Does not require to be rinsed off afterwards.
Inexpensive.
Stable, long shelf.

Generally not as easily obtained as bleach.

Has a detergent action and so may cause  some skin irritation/drying after prolonged use.