09/06/2026
EQUINE INFLUENZA OUTBREAK: HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT DISINFECTANT?
🚨 If you’re looking at brand names before checking whether it’s virucidal or effective in organic matter, this reel is for you. 🦠🐴
Let’s be honest… disinfectants aren’t the most exciting horsey topic. Nobody has ever walked into the tack shop thinking, “Today I’m going to read safety data sheets for fun!” 😅
But with Equine Influenza currently circulating across the UK, understanding why some disinfectants work better than others could make a real difference to your yard’s biosecurity. The good news? Equine Influenza is an enveloped virus. This means it has a fragile outer lipid (fatty) membrane that is relatively easy to destroy compared with many hardier viruses. The bad news? Even the best disinfectant won’t work if it’s used incorrectly.
𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝘁. A disinfectant sprayed onto a dirty stable wall is often little more than expensive water.
Manure, mud, bedding, feed residue, urine and nasal secretions all contain organic matter that can reduce or completely inactivate many disinfectants.
The correct process is always:
🧹 Remove organic matter
🧼 Clean with detergent
💦 Rinse thoroughly
💨 Dry (water still on surfaces dilutes your disinfectant even further which may render it ineffective!)
🦠 Apply disinfectant
⏱ Leave for the required contact time
What makes a good disinfectant?
When choosing a disinfectant, start by asking:
✅ Does it kill viruses as well as bacteria?
✅ Does it remain effective in the presence of organic matter?
✅ What contact time is required?
✅ Is it suitable for stables, equipment, clothing and transport?
✅ Is it safe for horses, people and the environment?
✅ Is it corrosive to metal, rubber or vehicle surfaces?
Understanding the different disinfectant types
🟢 Oxidising disinfectants (such as peroxygen and hydrogen peroxide-based products)
These are some of the most widely recommended products for equestrian use.
✔ Excellent against viruses
✔ Broad-spectrum activity
✔ Often suitable for footbaths and environmental disinfection
✔ Generally perform well even when conditions aren’t perfect
⚠ Some can be corrosive to certain metals over time.
🟡 Phenolic disinfectants
These retain activity better than many products when some organic matter remains.
✔ Effective in challenging environments
✔ Non-corrosive
⚠ Can cause irritation and may not be suitable around all animals.
🔵 Quaternary ammonium compounds
Commonly used in many cleaning and disinfectant products.
✔ Low toxicity
✔ Good routine hygiene products
⚠ Easily inactivated by dirt, manure and some detergents.
⚪ Bleach (sodium hypochlorite)
Bleach can kill Equine Influenza virus.
However…
❌ Only works properly on thoroughly cleaned surfaces
❌ Rapidly loses effectiveness in the presence of organic matter
❌ Can damage metalwork and equipment
❌ Can irritate eyes, skin and airways
❌ Never mix with other chemicals
For most equestrian environments, purpose-designed veterinary disinfectants are usually a more practical option.
How do I choose a disinfectant?
When evaluating products, DEFRA approval provides an additional level of reassurance. Products included on the DEFRA Approved Disinfectants List have undergone independent testing and demonstrated efficacy against specified disease agents at defined dilution rates and contact times. Although Equine Influenza is not a notifiable disease, selecting a disinfectant from the DEFRA General Orders list is a sensible evidence-based approach when reviewing biosecurity protocols.
Common myths
🧐 “If it’s antibacterial, it’ll kill Equine Influenza.”
Not necessarily. Antibacterial products are designed to target bacteria, not viruses. While some disinfectants have activity against both, this should never be assumed. When reviewing a product, look specifically for evidence of virucidal activity, particularly against enveloped viruses such as Equine Influenza.
🧐 “If it kills Coronavirus, it must kill Equine Influenza.”
Possibly, but it’s worth looking beyond a single claim on the label. Both Coronavirus and Equine Influenza are enveloped viruses, which generally makes them more susceptible to disinfection than many non-enveloped viruses. However, efficacy can vary depending on dilution rates, contact times and environmental conditions. Broad-spectrum virucidal activity and independent testing provide a more reliable indication of performance than a single pathogen claim alone.
🧐 “Bleach is the strongest disinfectant.”
Bleach can be highly effective when used correctly. However, its activity is significantly reduced by organic contamination, and it performs best on thoroughly cleaned surfaces. It can also be corrosive to equipment and irritating to skin and respiratory tissues. For many equestrian environments, purpose-designed veterinary disinfectants offer greater practicality and consistency under day-to-day yard conditions.
🧐 “A quick spray is enough.”
One of the most common causes of disinfectant failure is insufficient contact time. Most disinfectants require several minutes of contact with the surface in order to achieve the level of microbial reduction demonstrated during testing. If a product is applied and immediately wiped away, washed off or allowed insufficient time to act, its effectiveness may be substantially reduced. As with dilution rates, contact time is not a suggestion, it’s part of the treatment protocol.
The best disinfectant is the one that has proven virucidal activity, is appropriate for the environment you’re using it in, is used at the correct dilution, is left for the correct contact time, and is applied to a properly cleaned surface.
If you want to search, use the DEFRA tool here https://disinfectants.defra.gov.uk
Or sit down with a cup of tea and read the SPC of your chosen product thoroughly to ensure its suitable for your requirements.
