Healthcare-associated infections attacked by Clorox’s non-bleach disinfectant cleaner

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by Ann Withanee — October 5, 2011—Hospital and healthcare watchdogs as well as facilities pros constantly battle the spread of infectious superbugs—healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)—within healthcare facilities as well as other vulnerable sites such as corporate and institutional dining facilities. According to the Clorox Company, one in 20 hospital patients will have an HAI at any given time, and hospital-acquired, budget-draining HAIs alone are responsible for $28 to $33 billion dollars in preventable healthcare expenditures every year.

At the recent Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) 2011 Annual Conference , the Clorox Company introduced its Clorox Commercial Solutions Clorox Broad Spectrum Quaternary Disinfectant Cleaner.

Clorox Broad Spectrum Cleaner is Clorox’s newest non-bleach hospital-use disinfectant and reportedly the only quaternary spray registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to kill all of the “ESKAPE” pathogens (E. faecium, S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, E. aerogenes), which are some of today’s most threatening antibiotic resistant organisms. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the six ESKAPE pathogens are responsible for two-thirds of all healthcare-associated infections.

Clorox describes its new Broad Spectrum Cleaner as a fast, effective disinfectant and powerful cleaner that is gentle enough to use daily on common healthcare surfaces. The product helps meet the needs of busy healthcare facilities professionals by effectively eliminating most organisms in two minutes.

While bleach-based products are ideal for cleaning high-touch, high-risk areas, quaternary cleaners give healthcare and facilities professionals an important option for daily surface disinfection of lower-risk areas. Clorox Broad Spectrum Cleaner complements Clorox’s bleach-based portfolio of products, which are ideal for disinfecting high-risk areas and for dealing with C. difficile bacteria.

Clorox describes attributes of its Broad Spectrum Quaternary Disinfectant Cleaner:

  • Fast and effective: Clorox Broad Spectrum Cleaner requires no pre-cleaning and kills most organisms in two minutes, up to 33 percent faster than a leading quaternary spray.
  • A powerful, gentle disinfectant cleaner: Clorox Broad Spectrum Cleaner is fragrance-free to help avoid the fumes associated with other quaternary disinfectant sprays. The product’s formula allows for powerful cleaning against tough messes, yet is gentle enough to use daily on common healthcare surfaces.
  • Registered to kill 90 healthcare-relevant pathogens: Clorox Broad Spectrum Cleaner is EPA-registered to kill all ESKAPE pathogens. It is also effective against HIV, Hepatitis B and C, MRSA, VRE and TB.

For many healthcare and facilities professionals across the country, finding ways to help prevent HAIs from infecting patients and causing unnecessary deaths is top of mind. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), one in 20 hospital patients will contract HAI at any given time. Furthermore, HAIs are responsible for approximately $28 billion to $33 billion in preventable healthcare costs yearly.

The condition of the healthcare environment plays a significant role in the spread of HAIs. Environmental services professionals know that proper cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces can significantly help reduce infection rates in healthcare facilities. However, many times the cleaning process performed is inadequate. One recent study found that only 47 percent of targeted surfaces were cleaned after patients were discharged.

Part of the problem is that healthcare workers are often unclear about what product to use on surfaces and how long a product should be allowed to dwell. Many healthcare facilities rely on environmental services professionals’ expertise in these areas to provide further training and counsel on procedures and product recommendations.

Clorox Broad Spectrum Cleaner is fragrance-free and gentle enough to use daily on multiple nonporous medical surfaces such as counters, carts, bedside tables, walls, mattress covers, commodes, wheelchairs and more, explains the Clorox company. The product is ideal for use in operating rooms, emergency rooms, intensive care units and patient rooms, among many others. Clorox Broad Spectrum Cleaner will be ready for shipment in early November in a 32 oz. spray and a 128 oz. refill.

The launch of Clorox Broad Spectrum Cleaner comes just months after the company’s June and March 2011 announcements that Clorox Germicidal Wipes and DISPATCH Hospital Cleaner Disinfectant Towels with Bleach are EPA-registered to kill C. difficile bacteria spores in five minutes. With the addition of Clorox Broad Spectrum Cleaner, the company says it is expanding its offerings beyond its signature bleach-based products to meet all healthcare facilities needs.