by Shane Henson — July 25, 2012—Hospital facilities managers seeking to prevent or help break the cycle of pathogen transmission in their buildings need the right products, which can include Clorox Healthcare Bleach Germicidal Wipes. The wipes, manufactured by Clorox Professional Products Company, are now registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to kill Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) spores in three minutes, reportedly the fastest C. difficile contact time available for disinfecting wipes.
C. difficile, a spore-forming bacterium found in the intestines that can cause diarrhea to more serious life-threatening intestinal diseases, is a growing concern for healthcare facilities in the United States, notes Clorox. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) March 2012 Vital Signs Report, C. difficile infections are at an all-time high, and are linked to 14,000 deaths in the United States each year.
The wipes are also EPA-registered to kill a total of 50 other microorganisms, including all ESKAPE pathogens (E. faecium, S. aureus, K. pneumonia, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, E. aerogenes) in 30 seconds, norovirus in one minute, and tuberculosis (TB) in three minutes.
According to Clorox, the wipes contain 0.55% sodium hypochlorite, which exceeds the CDC’s recommended requirement to kill many of the pathogens of most concern to healthcare facilities. Clorox Healthcare Bleach Germicidal Wipes are equal to a 1:10 dilution of liquid bleach and include an odor-masking agent, specially formulated to provide fast, effective disinfecting to accommodate the most sensitive healthcare environments and users.
The wipes are also versatile in that they are suitable for use on most hard, nonporous surfaces, including stainless steel. They are offered in multiple packaging options designed for multipurpose use (6.75″ x 9″ wipes, 70 ct.), terminal cleaning (12″ x 12″ wipes, 110 ct.) and clinical surfaces (6″ x 5″ wipes, 150 ct.). Beginning in September 2012, a new, slimmer 70-count wipes canister will be available for improved dispensing and an overall better end-user experience.
