Kimberly-Clark Professional Offers White Paper On Optimizing Disinfectant Application in Healthcare Facilities

In keeping with its mission of improving the health, hygiene and well-being of people every day, everywhere, Kimberly-Clark Professional is offering healthcare professionals a free “Knowledge Connection” white paper focusing on the importance of surface sanitation practices in healthcare facilities.

The paper provides detailed information concerning the results of a new Kimberly-Clark Professional study on optimizing disinfectant applications in healthcare facilities, and how the choice of wiping materials can dramatically affect the amount of disinfectant agent that actually reaches and sanitizes surfaces being cleaned. Additionally, the white paper also provides insight into how important the choice of cleaning materials, including disinfectants and wipers, can be when it comes to helping improve infection control practices within healthcare facilities.

“The operative assumption underlying the principles of surface disinfection and sanitization is that the active ingredients capable of rendering microbes non-functional are being delivered to the surface at the correct concentration,” said Kim Dennis MacDougall, a research scientist for Kimberly-Clark Professional. “The findings of our study suggest that this is not always the case and that some materials currently in use, such as cotton- or cellulose-based wipers are not the best at administering disinfectant actives to surfaces in intended concentrations.”

The study highlights a significant decline in the concentration of basic quaternary ammonium compounds, or quats, released when cotton rags or cellulose-based wipers were used in an open bucket system. In contrast, non-woven disposable wipers designed to be compatible with quats, and used in a closed bucket system, maintain the concentration of actives released to the surface at near target concentration levels.

“The results of the study illustrate that wipers designed to be compatible with the chemicals used in surface disinfection and sanitation can help optimize and have a positive impact on improving healthcare infection control practices,” MacDougall, said. “We are pleased to be able to provide healthcare professionals access to this critical and useful information, and we encourage anyone associated with the healthcare industry to get a copy of the white paper to share with their colleagues and support staff.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cleaning and disinfecting environmental surfaces in healthcare facilities is critical to reducing the contribution of those surfaces to the incidence of healthcare-associated infection. In addition to proper hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting can help to minimize the transfer of microorganisms that can occur via hand contact between contaminated surfaces and patients.

To receive a copy of the free Kimberly-Clark Professional white paper, look here.