Benefect Botanical Disinfectant in a 55 gallon ready-to-use drum is the bulk format of the restoration industry's most-specified botanical disinfectant. Powered by thymol from thyme oil and EPA registered as a hospital-grade disinfectant, fungicide, tuberculocide, and virucide, Benefect is what high-volume restoration and remediation contractors reach for when the job calls for a hospital-grade kill claim without synthetic biocides, harsh fragrances, or chemical residue.
Built for
Water and fire damage restoration contractors who go through enough disinfectant in a season that 1-gallon jugs and 5-gallon pails are no longer cost-effective. The 55 gallon drum drops the per-gallon cost and reduces the empty-container handling on every job.
Mold remediation specialists following IICRC S520 protocols who use Benefect as a post-remediation antimicrobial. The botanical formulation lets crews work in occupied spaces (hospitals, schools, offices, residential reoccupations) without the application restrictions of synthetic biocides.
Infection control and facility maintenance teams at hospitals, long-term care facilities, daycares, gyms, and food-service operations who need a hospital-grade disinfectant that can be used around staff and occupants without protective evacuations.
Why thymol
Thymol is a botanical biocide derived from thyme oil. Unlike quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) and phenolics, thymol disinfectants have a track record in occupied-space applications because they leave no synthetic residue, have a low VOC profile, and dry to a pleasant herbal scent rather than a chemical smell. The EPA registration confirms hospital-grade efficacy: 99.99 percent kill on bacteria including MRSA, E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria, plus virucidal activity against HIV-1 and tuberculocidal activity in just 5 minutes.
Application
Benefect ships ready to use - no dilution, no mixing, no calculation of contact concentration. Apply by low-pressure pump-up sprayer, electric airless sprayer, cold or thermal fog, or saturated wipe at a rate of one gallon per 1,000 to 1,200 square feet of non-porous surface. For porous materials, apply to point of saturation. Allow the surface to remain wet for the listed contact time (5 minutes for TB, 30 seconds for common bacteria) and air dry. No rinse is required on most surfaces.
Typical use cases
Post-remediation antimicrobial application after IICRC S520 mold remediation. Disinfection of Category 2 and 3 water-damaged structural materials following IICRC S500. Smoke and soot decontamination after fire and smoke damage. Crime and trauma scene cleanup. Routine infection control in healthcare, long-term care, daycare, fitness, and food-service facilities. Hard non-porous surface disinfection in occupied commercial buildings.
Specifications
Active ingredient: thymol 0.23 percent (from thyme oil). Format: ready-to-use, no dilution. Container: 55 gallon drum. Coverage: 1,000-1,200 sq ft per gallon on non-porous surfaces. Contact time: 30 seconds for common bacteria, 5 minutes for tuberculosis. Shelf life: 2 years from date of manufacture. Scent: light herbal thyme during application, dissipates on drying. EPA Reg. No. 74771-1.
Frequently asked questions
What is the active ingredient in Benefect Botanical Disinfectant?
The active ingredient is thymol, a botanical compound derived from thyme oil, present at 0.23 percent. Benefect is the EPA-registered botanical disinfectant most commonly specified by restoration contractors who want a hospital-grade kill claim without synthetic biocides like quats or phenolics.
What does it kill?
Benefect is EPA registered as a hospital-grade disinfectant, fungicide, tuberculocide, and virucide. It kills 99.99 percent of bacteria, fungus, tuberculosis (TB), and HIV-1. The TB contact time is 5 minutes; common bacteria contact time is 30 seconds.
Is the 55 gallon drum the same formula as the 1 gallon jug?
Yes. The 55 gallon drum is the identical ready-to-use formula sold in 1-gallon jugs and 5-gallon pails - just packaged for high-volume restoration crews and remediation jobs that go through bulk product.
How is Benefect typically applied in restoration work?
By low-pressure pump sprayer, fogger (cold or thermal, depending on the job), or saturated wipe. For IICRC S520 mold remediation, Benefect is commonly used as a post-remediation antimicrobial. For S500 water damage, it is used to disinfect Category 2 and 3 water-damaged structural materials before drying.
Does it leave a residue or odor?
Benefect dries to no chemical residue. The product has a pleasant herbal thyme scent during application that dissipates as the surface dries, which is one reason occupied-space jobs (hospitals, schools, daycares, offices) specify it.
Discount Cleaning Products is an authorized Benefect dealer. We stock the full Benefect line including Decon 30, Atomic Degreaser, Impact, and the Botanical Disinfectant in every container size from 32 ounce bottles through 55 gallon drums. Our restoration team can advise on application equipment, fogger settings, and IICRC compliance documentation when the bid requires it.
