Pure Maintenance Austin TeamQuick answer: A fog's limits come from each product's EPA label, not its chemistry. A few hydrogen peroxide and chlorine dioxide products carry fog or mist disinfection directions, tied to their own machines or to surfaces left moist. The hypochlorous labels checked here allow disinfection only on wet surfaces, and ozone generators aren't registered pesticides at all.
Two bottles can share an active ingredient and still allow very different things. One hydrogen peroxide product may be registered to disinfect a sealed room by fog; another may only handle odor when fogged. The claim belongs to the registration number, so this guide walks through each chemistry by the labels behind it.
Every label detail below comes from the product's EPA-accepted label as posted on EPA's Pesticide Product Label System in early October 2026. Labels get amended, so check the current version before relying on any of it.
Why does the product matter more than the chemical?
Because EPA registers products, not molecules. A manufacturer earns each claim by submitting data for a specific formula, used a specific way, sometimes with a specific machine. Change the machine, the strength or the method, and the claim may no longer apply.
That's how a company can truthfully say "our peroxide fog disinfects" while another company fogging a different peroxide product can't. Ask which product, then read that product's fogging section.
What do hydrogen peroxide fog labels allow?
The strongest fog claims in this group belong to products sold with their own equipment:
- SteraMist BIT (EPA Reg. No. 90150-2), 7.8% hydrogen peroxide, allows fogging or misting disinfection of dry, pre-cleaned, hard, non-porous surfaces in rooms. It's for SteraMist equipment only, run by people TOMI Environmental Solutions trained, and the label sets a minimum airborne concentration and a 15-minute contact time.
- HaloMist (EPA Reg. No. 84526-6), 5% hydrogen peroxide with a trace of silver nitrate, allows room fogging disinfection only through the HaloFogger device. Its site list includes homes.
Even here the limits are narrow. SteraMist's own mold language is limited to hand-held application and says the control is "for aesthetic purposes only." Neither label supports claims about people's health.
Hydrogen peroxide also comes blended with peracetic acid, a sharp-smelling relative of the acetic acid in vinegar. Labels in that family vary widely, and some limit fogging to odor.
What do hypochlorous acid labels allow?
Much less by fog than the marketing suggests. Hypochlorous acid is a mild chlorine compound, often made on site from salt water and electricity. On the master labels read for this guide:
- Excelyte (92108-1), Ecaflo Anolyte (91582-1) and Sani-TEST Hypochlorous (97801-1) carry no fogging directions.
- Briotech (93108-1) allows disinfection by electrostatic sprayer, with every surface kept visibly wet for 10 minutes.
An electrostatic sprayer charges droplets so they wrap around a surface and wet it; it isn't a room fog. So a line such as "our hypochlorous fog disinfects your whole home" has no support on these labels.
What do chlorine dioxide labels allow?
Chlorine dioxide is a gas often sold dissolved in water or made on demand from a powder or pouch. Its labels cover the widest range of any group here:
- Vital Oxide (82972-1), chlorine dioxide with quaternary ammonium compounds, allows fogging or misting to disinfect hard, nonporous surfaces, applied "until surface is moist," with no reentry for at least 20 minutes. It also lists fogging to deodorize.
- CDG GasNow (75757-5), conditionally registered in August 2025, allows whole-building fumigation to control odor and stains caused by bacteria, mold and mildew. The building is sealed, and the gas is monitored until it drops below 0.1 ppm before anyone goes back in.
- Performacide (87508-3) added electrostatic spray directions in November 2024. No room fogging directions turned up on its label.
Notice the word "moist" in the Vital Oxide directions. That disinfection claim depends on surfaces getting damp, which is a different job from a fog designed to stay dry.
Where does ozone fit?
Outside the registration system entirely. An ozone generator makes its gas from the oxygen in the air, so when one is sold to control microorganisms, federal rules treat the machine as a pesticide device, not a registered pesticide. Under 40 CFR 152.500, a device isn't required to be registered; it must be built in an EPA-registered establishment and follow labeling rules.
So an ozone machine shows an EPA establishment number, not a registration number. EPA's page on ozone generators sold as air cleaners says that number "does not imply EPA endorsement," and that no federal agency has approved these devices for use in occupied spaces. EPA adds that high ozone levels are sometimes used on odors in unoccupied spaces, with conditions controlled so no person or pet is exposed.
How do the labels compare side by side?
| Chemistry | Example (EPA No.) | Fog or mist on label? | What that use allows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen peroxide | SteraMist BIT (90150-2) | Yes, its own equipment only | Room disinfection of pre-cleaned hard surfaces |
| Hydrogen peroxide and silver | HaloMist (84526-6) | Yes, HaloFogger only | Room disinfection; homes on the site list |
| Hypochlorous acid | Excelyte, Ecaflo, Sani-TEST | No | No fog claims on the master labels |
| Hypochlorous acid | Briotech (93108-1) | Electrostatic only | Disinfection with 10 wet minutes |
| Chlorine dioxide | Vital Oxide (82972-1) | Yes, until moist | Disinfection and deodorizing |
| Chlorine dioxide gas | CDG GasNow (75757-5) | Fumigation | Odor and stains in a sealed building |
| Ozone | Generators (devices) | Not registered | No registration number or registered claims |
Which chemistry does Pure Maintenance Austin use?
An EPA-registered hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid product, applied according to its fogging directions. Our claims stay at two lines: whole-home dry fog helps control the growth of odor-causing microorganisms on hard, non-porous surfaces, and it temporarily reduces airborne particulates as it settles.
For heavy smoke or pet smells, our Odor Treatment follows the dry fog with an ozone step, and the house stays empty for up to 48 hours. A Comfort Advisor can tell you on a free phone consultation which one fits your smell. Our guide to ozone, UV and dry fog compared covers how the methods differ in practice.
None of this is legal advice; it's a reading of public labels as they stood in October 2026.
Common questions
Is hypochlorous acid the same as bleach?
No. The active ingredient in household bleach is sodium hypochlorite; hypochlorous acid is a related but different chlorine compound. Each product has its own label, and neither label's spray directions carry over to fogging.
Can a company switch products and keep the same claims?
No. Claims follow the registration number. A company that changes products has to check what the new label allows, method by method.
Do any of these labels support health claims?
No. Even the disinfectant labels describe surfaces, not people, and products registered only for odor or staining can't claim anything about germs at all.
What should you do next?
- Ask which product a company fogs, by name and EPA number.
- Read that label's fogging section, not the spray directions.
- Keep ozone work to an empty house, run by someone who knows the air-out.
- Book a free phone consultation if an odor lingers after the source is fixed.
Get a free phone consultation
Book a free phone consultation. A Comfort Advisor will call you, learn what's going on in your home and send a written quote based on square footage. Pure Maintenance Austin, brought to you by Gold Eagle Services, serves all of Central Texas, including College Station, Round Rock, Georgetown, San Marcos, Bastrop and Marble Falls.
Call 512-904-4646 or email IAQ@goldeagleservices.com. We're open Monday through Saturday, 7am to 7pm.