The Effectiveness of Disinfectant Wipes

Year 2017, Issue: Issue 1(2) - 3. INTERNATIONAL BIOCIDAL CONGRESS, 1 - 1, 01.02.2017

Burak Kurt Muhsin Akbaba

Abstract

Wet
wipes may or may not contain disinfectants. Just like a damp cloth, wipes that
do not contain a disinfectant will have only limited cleaning properties, due
to the friction created during cleaning. The effectiveness of disinfectant
wipes will depend on a number of factors: Detergency: The ability of the wipe
to remove dirt if a surface is visibly soiled; users should be aware of the
potential risk of transferring micro-organisms/spores from one surface to
another if wipes are used on multiple surfaces. Wetness: The ability of the
wipe to leave a layer of liquid disinfectant behind on the surface it is
applied to. Disinfectant efficacy: Once the wiped surface dries, all disinfectant
activity stops and, should any residue of disinfectant be left behind, it will
have no effect on further dry contamination such as microbes (including spores)
in dust, which will inevitably settle on it or be transferred to it soon after
cleaning. The most common disinfectants used in wipes are chemicals such as
alcohols or surface active disinfectants – quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs)
or triamines. These biocides will achieve limited disinfection (that is with
nil or minimal sporicidal activity or activity against non-enveloped viruses
such as norovirus) within the exposure times that are achieved in practice
(typically a few seconds). It should also be noted that the microbicidal
activity will be further compromised if soiling (dirt, vomit, blood, faeces,
etc.) is present. Other wipes, usually substantially more expensive, can
contain chlorine dioxide or peracetic acid. These may have activity against
spores and non-enveloped viruses, but again their efficacy will be limited by
exposure time, how well the disinfectant is applied to surfaces (coverage), and
the presence of contamination.

 

Keywords: Effectiveness, Disinfectant, Wipe

Keywords

The Effectiveness of Disinfectant Wipes

References

• Burak Kurt, Muhsin Akbaba Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine Department of Public Health