Short answer: Clean off dirt with mild soap and water first, then disinfect with one of the products the sheet makers list: diluted household bleach (ACRYLITE gives 5 tablespoons per gallon of water, or 4 teaspoons per quart), 3% hydrogen peroxide, or isopropyl alcohol (ACRYLITE suggests diluting to 30%; Plexiglas recommends isopropanol with a soft cloth). Keep the surface wet for the disinfectant's label contact time, then rinse with clean water and blot dry. Avoid window cleaners, acetone, lacquer thinner, and strong alcohol, and ACRYLITE warns against some germicidal wipes.
Key facts
- Bleach: 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) per gallon of water, or 4 teaspoons per quart (ACRYLITE). Sodium hypochlorite 5% rates "resistant" in ACRYLITE's chemical table.
- Hydrogen peroxide: 3% is listed by ACRYLITE; under 40% rates resistant.
- Isopropyl alcohol: ACRYLITE lists it diluted to 30%; Plexiglas says isopropanol wipes bacteria and viruses off without problems. Rated "limited resistance": wipe, don't soak.
- Avoid: window cleaning sprays, acetone, lacquer thinner, undiluted solvents, and, per ACRYLITE, PDI Sani-Cloth HB, AF3 Sani-Cloth, and Clorox Hydrogen Peroxide Cleaner/Disinfectant Wipes.
- Contact time: EPA-registered disinfectants only work if the surface stays wet for the time on the label.
Step by step: disinfecting an acrylic sneeze guard or display
- Clean first. Wash with lukewarm water and a little mild dish soap using a soft microfiber cloth. Disinfectants don't work well through grime. Never wipe acrylic dry; dust scratches it.
- Apply a compatible disinfectant (below) with a soft cloth or spray bottle, using light pressure.
- Wait the label contact time. Keep the surface visibly wet for the full time; reapply if it dries early.
- Rinse with clean water. Leftover disinfectant dries to a haze and keeps working on the plastic.
- Blot dry with a clean, damp chamois or microfiber cloth.
Which disinfectants are safe on acrylic?
| Disinfectant | Safe on acrylic? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Diluted household bleach | Yes | ACRYLITE: 5 Tbsp per gallon; rinse after. 5% sodium hypochlorite rated resistant. |
| 3% hydrogen peroxide | Yes | Listed by ACRYLITE; rated resistant below 40%. |
| Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) | Yes, briefly | ACRYLITE: dilute to 30%. Plexiglas recommends isopropanol. Keep off stressed or laser-cut edges. |
| Clorox Healthcare Bleach Germicidal, OPTIM 1, OPTIM 33 TB | Yes | Named by ACRYLITE as alternatives. |
| Lysol with Hydrogen Peroxide Multi-Purpose Cleaner | Yes | Listed by ACRYLITE. |
| Quaternary ammonium wipes and sprays | Test first | Not addressed by the sheet makers; many contain alcohols and solvents. Rinse after use. |
| Hand sanitizer (60 to 95% alcohol) | No, for regular use | 95% ethanol rates not resistant; wipe off splashes promptly. |
| Window cleaner sprays | No | Makers advise against them; can craze and cloud. |
| Acetone, lacquer thinner, MEK | No | Dissolve and craze acrylic. |
| PDI Sani-Cloth HB, AF3 Sani-Cloth, Clorox Hydrogen Peroxide wipes | No | On ACRYLITE's avoid list. |
| Fantastik All-Purpose (Fresh Scent), Microban 24 Hour Bathroom (Citrus) | No | On ACRYLITE's avoid list. |
Product formulas change, so read the label and the disinfectant maker's surface list, and test anything new on a hidden corner or an offcut.
Why do some disinfectants damage acrylic?
Most damage is crazing: fine cracks that appear where the plastic is under stress and a solvent touches it. Alcohols, glycol ethers, and fragrance solvents in some cleaners can do it. Sneeze guards are especially exposed because their edges are often laser cut or flame polished and their mounting holes are under load, both of which concentrate stress. ACRYLITE's chemical table rates isopropyl alcohol and 30% ethanol as limited resistance and 95% ethanol as not resistant. More on that in the acrylic chemical resistance chart and what is crazing.
Do I need to disinfect acrylic at all?
Often, regular cleaning is enough. The Plexiglas cleaning bulletin notes that Germany's Robert Koch Institute recommended suitable cleaning rather than routine disinfection for surfaces in ordinary public and private areas, and Plexiglas suggests reserving disinfection for places with high viral loads, such as medical settings. Where you must disinfect, use EPA-registered products that are on the compatible list and follow their label directions, including contact time.
How do I keep acrylic barriers clear longer?
- Use soft microfiber, never paper towels or abrasive pads.
- Rinse off disinfectant residue every time.
- Polish out light haze and fine scratches with a plastic polish such as Novus 2. See how to remove scratches from acrylic.
- For new barriers that will be wiped constantly, cast acrylic resists crazing better than extruded, and annealed edges help.
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Questions
Can I use Lysol disinfecting wipes on acrylic?
The sheet makers don't list standard Lysol wipes either way. ACRYLITE lists Lysol's hydrogen peroxide multi-purpose cleaner as acceptable. If you use wipes, test first, keep exposure short, and rinse with clean water afterward.
Can I disinfect acrylic with UV-C light?
UV-C lamps work on the exposed surface only. Standard acrylic blocks short-wave UV (ACRYLITE cast lists 0% transmission at 320 nm), so a lamp on one side won't disinfect the other. Follow the lamp maker's safety guidance.
Why is my acrylic cloudy after disinfecting?
Usually it's dried residue: rinse and wash with mild soap. If the haze is a web of fine cracks, that's crazing from an incompatible product, and it can't be washed off.