Healthcare facilities of all types, from hospitals and long-term care facilities to physician and dental offices, have long realized the critical role surface disinfection plays in their infection prevention programs.
Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are a significant concern in all healthcare facilities – where on any given day, approximately one in 31 hospital patients has at least one HAI.1 Nursing homes are commonly cited for infection prevention deficiencies, according to a recent analysis of CMS data by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.2 Dental and physician offices have developed more stringent policies and procedures requiring frequent disinfection of equipment since the start of the pandemic.
The healthcare industry understands that contaminated surfaces and equipment contribute to the spread of HAI, so the proper disinfection of medical equipment and high-touch surfaces is fundamental to reducing potential outbreaks.3,4 The pandemic has reinforced the need for successful infection prevention programs in all healthcare settings, and focused surface disinfection plays a critical role in achieving this goal. While experts agree that proper surface disinfection is essential, not all disinfectants are created equal, and selecting the best product can be challenging for healthcare facilities.
Advantages of surface disinfecting wipes
In healthcare settings, ready-to-use surface disinfecting wipes are often chosen specifically because they help make cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and devices easier and more efficient. With the industry experiencing extensive labor shortages, wipes are essential tools in your cleaning arsenal.
- Ready-to-use wipes do not require any pre-mixing of chemicals before use
- Many healthcare wipes today have broad-spectrum efficacy against relevant healthcare pathogens
- Wipes can be used to disinfect irregular-shaped surfaces that are hard to spray uniformly, such as medical equipment, patient bed rails, doorknobs, and handles
- In many cases, wipes are non-damaging to surfaces like touch screens or other electronics
- They're ideal for disinfecting hard, non-porous surfaces commonly found in healthcare settings
Do your homework: read the label
As you evaluate surface products for your facility, it's essential to do your research to ensure you find the right fit. It's also important to critically evaluate the products currently in use at your facility. Start by closely reading and understanding the label, visiting the manufacturer's website for product details, and visiting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website (which regulates surface disinfectants to ensure they are effective and safe for use). As you gather information, ask the following questions:
- Does it kill the pathogens I'm concerned about, and if so, how quickly? These are available on the label or in a technical bulletin available from the manufacturer. Disinfectants used in healthcare should demonstrate efficacy against a wide variety of relevant healthcare pathogens, including the ESKAPE pathogens, which are responsible for most HAI. Other viruses significant to the healthcare environment are bloodborne pathogens, SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, and respiratory syncytial virus. (Refer to EPA's List N for EPA-approved disinfectant products appropriate for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.)
- Will this product be compatible with the surfaces I want to disinfect? Surface compatibility is vital in healthcare facilities because of the variety of medical equipment, electronics, and touchscreens present, typically from many manufacturers. Costs associated with damaged equipment are major concerns, and damaged surfaces (even if clean) can negatively affect patient perceptions of the aesthetics and cleanliness of the facility and environment.
- How long does it take to work? Surfaces must remain visibly wet and undisturbed for the time indicated for the product to work, and some products may take as long as 10 minutes to kill germs. So, it may be necessary to use more than one wipe to keep the surface wet for the required amount of time – driving up time and labor/maintenance costs for the facility. Understanding how much surface area one wipe can effectively cover for the listed contact time is integral to how many wipes should be used to clean the needed surfaces, devices, or equipment.
- Does the product have any concerning signal phrases? (For example, "danger” or “warning.”) The EPA categorizes surface disinfectants from Category I (highly toxic) to IV (very low toxicity.) If possible, select products rated as Category IV to reduce your risk of harm. Those with higher toxicity ratings frequently have "Caution" statements like "causes eye irritation" or contain instructions to "wash hands thoroughly after use." Higher toxicity products may also require gloves or other personal protective equipment (PPE) during use.
- Can it be used on food-contact surfaces? Some disinfectant wipes are suitable to use on food contact surfaces with no rinse, while others may require a rinse before contact with food. This is a consideration for surfaces food may touch, such as patient meal trays, over-bed tables, utensils, and dishware. Reading the “Instructions for Use” on many hospital-grade surface disinfectants will reveal language advising against its use on surfaces with which food may come into contact.
PURELL® Healthcare Surface Disinfecting Wipes: Powerful Efficacy. Highest EPA Safety Profile.
GOJO has launched new one-step, hospital-grade PURELL® Healthcare Surface Disinfecting Wipes to expand our surface category options further. These ethyl alcohol-based wipes are designed to meet the specific needs of our healthcare customers, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care centers, physician offices, dental offices, veterinarian clinics, eye clinics, school nurse clinics, and more.
These wipes:
- Quickly eliminate 99.9% of bacteria and viruses of concern, including all ESKAPE pathogens, seven of the most common drug-resistant bacteria, and viruses significant to the healthcare environment (including bloodborne pathogens, influenza A, and respiratory syncytial virus) in 2 minutes
- Kill the COVID-19 virus in 30 seconds
- Earned the EPA's lowest allowable toxicity rating (Category IV) – so you don't need to worry about using them on surfaces in patient rooms
- Are FDA Food Code compliant – food-contact, no-rinse approved for use on meal trays, over-bed tables, breakrooms, and more
- Formulation does not contain quats, bleach, fragrances, harsh fumes, or precautionary statements
- Are compatible with most hard, non-porous surfaces, electronic devices, and touchscreens.
- Are proven to cover 3X to 5X the average surface area covered by two of the leading healthcare surface disinfecting wipes on the market - allowing healthcare facilities to confidently do more with less5
While experts agree that proper surface disinfection is essential, not all disinfectants are created equal, and selecting the best product can be challenging for healthcare facilities. PURELL® Healthcare Surface Disinfecting Wipes allow healthcare workers the freedom to use these surface disinfecting wipes anywhere from over-bed tables and wheelchairs to NICU rooms. Only the PURELL® brand, the most trusted brand of hand sanitizer in hospitals, offers the efficacy you require with the compatibility you need and efficiency you want – all in just one wipe.
For more information on PURELL® Surface Wipes, including a whitepaper and compatibility info sheet, visit this landing page.
For more on our Foodservice and Professional Surface Wipes, please read this blog post: "Quickly Kill Germs with One-Step PURELL® Surface Wipes."
For more tips on surface disinfecting, read these other GOJO blog posts: