by Shane Henson — July 13, 2011—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has accepted the registration of Clorox’s Germicidal Wipes to kill Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) spores in five minutes. Healthcare-associated infections such as C. difficile, a spore-forming bacterium found in the intestines that can cause diarrhea or more serious, life-threatening intestinal disease, are a growing concern in the United States, notes Clorox.
Clorox’s Germicidal Wipes are ready-to-use, hospital-grade disinfectant wipes that are among the strongest and heaviest on the market today, says the company. They contain 0.55% sodium hypochlorite, which exceeds the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended requirement to kill many of the pathogens of most concern to hospitals.
The 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 environments and users. The wipes are suitable for use on most hard, nonporous surfaces, including stainless steel, and they are offered in multiple packaging options that can be adapted for use in various healthcare locations.
Clorox Germicidal Wipes are part of a comprehensive C. difficile solution program offered by Clorox Professional Products Company, which also offers a C. difficile Prevention Kit featuring a protocol and checklist for terminal cleaning of C. difficile isolation rooms, information on bleach efficacy when it comes to fighting C. difficile spores, a calculator estimating the financial impact on C. difficile on acute care facilities, and infection prevention training and education videos.
