any of a class of synthetic compounds, as benzalkonium chloride, whose cations are colloidal in solution: used as antiseptics, wetting agents, and emulsifiers.
One commonly used type of cationic detergent disinfectant is a quaternary ammonium compound.
British Dictionary definitions for cationic detergent
cationic detergent
noun
1.
a type of detergent in which the active part of the molecule is a positive ion (cation). Cationic detergents are usually quaternary ammonium salts and often also have bactericidal properties