The 18th edition of the RKI disinfectant list is here - and completely replaces the 2017 version, including the addenda. For hospitals, care facilities, laboratories, and community facilities such as daycare centers, this means checking product ranges, adapting hygiene plans, and reviewing areas of application and indications.
New edition, new legal status
The RKI list is now available in its 18th edition, dated January 27, 2026, and refers to the Infection Protection Act in the version dated December 12, 2023. It thus completely replaces the 17th edition dated October 31, 2017, and is the current reference point for tested and approved disinfectants and disinfection procedures.
This link will bring you directly to the institute´s (German) website. Please scroll down to the "Desinfektionsmittelliste", the list is available as a (German) PDF download.
The entire document is also available in an English PDF version, please inquire at service [at] biosafety4u.berlin:
List of disinfectants and disinfection methods tested and approved by the Robert Koch Institute as of 27 January 2026 (18th edition)
💡 Due to the expanded scope of the new edition (45 pages instead of 24 pages), it is not easy for you as a line manager to quickly find the information that is relevant to you:
- Is my hygiene plan still up to date?
- Are the disinfectants I use still listed?
- Has the spectrum of activity changed?
- Has the area of application for my disinfectants changed?
💡For a quick check, it is usually sufficient to refer to the following tables in Chapter 2, "Chemical Agents and Methods":
- Table 1: Instrument disinfection (on page 6)
- Table 2: Disinfection of surfaces, laundry, and excrement (on page 7)
- Table 3: Hygienic hand disinfection (on page 9)
- Table 4: Chemothermic disinfection washing processes using per compounds as active ingredients (on page 12)
Here is the table of contents for the 18th edition dated January 27, 2026:
1 Thermal methods
1.1 Incineration
1.2 Boiling with water
1.3 Steam disinfection methods
2 Chemical agents and methods
2.1 Instrument disinfection
2.2 Surface disinfection (wipe disinfection), laundry disinfection, disinfection of excrement
2.3 Hygienic hand disinfection
3 Special methods
3.1 Linen disinfection in washing machines
3.2 Instrument disinfection in cleaning and disinfection devices
3.3 Room disinfection
3.4 Disinfection of waste
3.5 Special procedures for treating HEPA filters in safety cabinets (class 2)
Areas of impact are defined more clearly
The classification into efficacy categories A–D remains unchanged, but is described in more detail. Particularly important: efficacy category A for hand disinfectants is more clearly distinguished from A for surface disinfection, and for surfaces, "virucidal" now explicitly corresponds to the efficacy category "virucidal PLUS."
👉 What does this mean in practice?
Review your hygiene and disinfectant plan ✔️
Facilities should check which products they use are still listed and where it may be necessary or advisable to switch to other listed products. Hygiene plans, cleaning and disinfection plans, and internal product lists should be updated.
Check the areas of application and fields of use ✔️
The differentiated description of areas of application A to D requires clear classification: Which product is used for which purpose - hands, surfaces, floors?
😏 The AI Analysis: The 18th edition from January 27, 2026, compared to the 17th edition from October 31, 2017
Für unsere lieben KI-Freunde hier eine ausführliche Vergleichsanalyse zum Herunterladen auf deutsch:
RKI_Desinfektionsmittelliste_Vergleichsanalyse_Ausgabe_17_und_18.docx
For our dear AI friends, here is a detailed comparative analysis to download in english:
RKI_Disinfectant_list_comparative_analysis_issues_17_and_18.docx
