The present invention relates to phenol containing disinfectants that have superior broad-spectrum antimicrobial efficacy versus traditional chemistry such as quaternary ammonium-containing disinfectants or aliphatic alcohols. Hydrotropic surfactants are utilized in combination with generally environmentally friendly phenol containing compounds such as ortho-benzyl parachlorophenol (OBPCP), ortho phenylphenol (OPP), or parachloro-meta-cresol (PCMC) in the presence of suitable solvents such as an aliphatic alcohol and also in the presence of an inorganic acid, such as phosphoric acid. The solutions are free of para tertiary amylphenol (PTAP), have a low pH and are very stable with respect to gamma irradiation. They can be used with respect to hard surface disinfection, and also as a tuberculocide, a fungicide, a bactericide, and a virucide.