Antibacterial and Extra-Hygiene Cleaning Products
Their Uses
Antibacterial, or antimicrobial, products have generated some controversy. Some groups argue that one should not try to make the home a sterile environment, and we agree with this.
However, antimicrobials
were not created with the purpose of making an environment sterile. Rather, they were formulated for consumers who want to have an antimicrobial product on hand for certain jobs, such as washing hands in the kitchen or bathroom, or for cleaning kitchens, bathrooms, doorknobs and other areas where the risk of microbial contamination is higher.
People who take care of the ill or elderly or people in daycare centres may wish to use antimicrobial cleaners more often, because they know from experience that they have to be more careful about keeping microbial contamination under control.
However, antimicrobials
were not created with the purpose of making an environment sterile. Rather, they were formulated for consumers who want to have an antimicrobial product on hand for certain jobs, such as washing hands in the kitchen or bathroom, or for cleaning kitchens, bathrooms, doorknobs and other areas where the risk of microbial contamination is higher. People who take care of the ill or elderly or people in daycare centres may wish to use antimicrobial cleaners more often, because they know from experience that they have to be more careful about keeping microbial contamination under control.
What Are Antibacterial Cleaning Products?
Antibacterial cleaners are specially formulated with antibacterial actives to control bacterial growth on surfaces. The controlling action may be bacteriostatic (inhibition of bacterial growth) or bactericidal (killing the bacteria). Based on citric acid and proprietary surfactant technology, P&G antibacterial ("extra hygiene") surface cleaning and dishwashing products are specifically designed for efficacy against bacteria.
The Care of Kitchen Sponges and Dish Cloths
Unless sponges and dishcloths are replaced, laundered or disinfected regularly, they provide a breeding ground for microbes that make a home in their pores. These microbes use food residues for their growth. Within a week of use, the sponge may contain billions of bacteria, as evidenced by its smell and feel. If we use such a sponge for wiping surfaces, we are spreading bacteria. If the sponge is contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, spreading them makes it easier for other people to pick up the contamination and possibly become ill.
P&G' s Extra Hygiene dishwashing detergent was developed to maintain sponge quality from a microbiological standpoint. After washing up, rinse the sponge under running tap water and squirt a small amount (few drops) of undiluted detergent onto the sponge. The product in the sponge will inhibit bacterial growth and prolong the life of the sponge.
To test the efficacy of surface cleaning and dishwashing products in the kitchen, Procter & Gamble has equipped an experimental kitchen in collaboration with Institut Pasteur in Paris, France. In this kitchen, consumer habits are reproduced under controlled conditions, allowing us to study them.
P&G' s Extra Hygiene dishwashing detergent was developed to maintain sponge quality from a microbiological standpoint. After washing up, rinse the sponge under running tap water and squirt a small amount (few drops) of undiluted detergent onto the sponge. The product in the sponge will inhibit bacterial growth and prolong the life of the sponge.
To test the efficacy of surface cleaning and dishwashing products in the kitchen, Procter & Gamble has equipped an experimental kitchen in collaboration with Institut Pasteur in Paris, France. In this kitchen, consumer habits are reproduced under controlled conditions, allowing us to study them.
Read more about antibacterial products and learn how they work.