My Infection Prevention Wish Has Comes True

Back in 1997, almost twelve years before I was to be known as The Germ Guy, I was lucky enough to expand my microbiological horizons from a few pathogens to quite literally all of them. It’s because I made a transition from bloodborne to environmental microbiology. When I made that move, I became aware of the risk that comes with surfaces. I had no idea that microbes could not only live on items like sink taps, doorknobs and remote controls, but also thrive if they have the ability to form microscopic colonies known as biofilms.

As I caught up to the rest of the infection prevention and control field, I became aware of the need for disinfection but also a rather striking problem. As soon as a disinfected surface is touched, it becomes contaminated again. Add in incidental contact with say, respiratory droplets or dirt and grime from unwashed hands and you can see how a single pass with a disinfectant might not be sufficient to keep us safe. Granted, you could address this by disinfecting several times a day but that is unreasonable for most people.

Now, back in the lab, we knew what was needed. It was officially called residual activity but it simply meant a disinfectant that continued to kill long after it’s been applied to a surface. In the research community, attempts were made to achieve this goal but the successes were few and far between. Until the day I left the lab, residual activity was a desire that was never truly fulfilled.

But now, in 2020, I am happy to say that the wish has finally come true. It’s a product that has residual activity against bacteria that lasts for a full 24 hours. It’s known as Microban 24 and it helps to keep hard nonporous surfaces clear of bacteria for an entire day.

 

When I first came across the product, I naturally wanted to know how it managed to last for 24 hours and was not entirely surprised that the technology is based on decades of research, some of which I’ve seen in the past. Going deeper into the science, I learned that the product can prevent exposure to pathogens that we all know well such as Staphylococcus aureus, which leads to cellulitis and impetigo, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can get into those cuts and scrapes, Enterobacter aerogenes, which is found in fecal matter, and Salmonella enterica, which causes diarrhea. It’s right there on the label.

There’s another advantage to using Microban 24. All you need to do is spray the product onto a surface and then leave it to stay wet for 5 minutes. Yes, that’s convenient but more importantly, the protocol ensures that the necessary contact time is achieved. You may not realize it but when you use a disinfectant, you have to leave it for a period of time, usually one to ten minutes, in order to be sure you have killed the most number of bacteria. But as you might appreciate, most people tend to wipe long before that time has arrived. Not only do you get a lasting disinfection, you also can be sure it is effective.

It should come as no surprise that I have happily become a Microban 24 partner. After all, this product achieves a level of disinfection that has never been reached before and makes one of my laboratory wishes come true, and also helps when I use it at home. I hope you will agree with me and use Microban 24 to keep your home clean and free of germs, all day long. You can visit Microban24.com to learn more and if you’re interested in learning more about the science behind the product, feel free to leave a comment below.