21 Dec Best antibacterial and antiviral wipes
What is the difference between antibacterial and antiviral wipes?
Bacteria and Viruses are different
For this reason it’s important to understand what the wipes you are using are designed to do and more importantly how they have been tested and are they certified? Cleaning wipes or surface wipes for example might not have any antibacterial or antiviral properties, they could simply be a disposable wipe with a fragrant solution that will clean a hard surface but might not kill bacteria or viruses.
If you want wipes to prevent the spread of coronavirus, you must be very careful to ensure the wipes are certified to kill viruses. Any brand claiming the wipes kill viruses or kill bacteria must be able to prove it and there will be an active ingredient in the wipes that does this, and just because they are antibacterial wipes does not make them effective against viruses.
What certifications should antibacterial wipes and antiviral wipes have?
You should always ask if the wipes themselves have been tested or is it just the liquid on the wipes that carries the certification? If the certifications relate to the liquid and not the wipes then the wipes are not certified.
Hyprwipes are fully tested and certified wipes to both EN14476 and EN16615
EN14476 certification means the cleaning product contains antiviral ingredients and designed to kill viruses.
The British and European Standards for chemical disinfection is not a new concept but with the highlight now on the importance of killing viruses, it’s important to recognise the cleaning products and in this case the wipes that comply with current legislation and are able to stop the spread of coronavirus.
You might be surprised to know that the vast majority of cleaning products available over the counter do not include the BS EN 14476 standard, meaning they are unable to claim their ability to kill viruses that settle and grow on surfaces.
EN16615 is also known as 4- Field Test. It is a quantitative test method for the evaluation of bactericidal and yeasticidal activity of disinfectant wipes intended for use in the medical area. The wipe is tested on a non-porous surface with mechanical action.
To pass, the test must eliminate 99.999% of bacteria on the surface (5-log reduction) or eliminate 99.99% of yeasts (4-log reduction).
The added benefit of Hyprwipes is that the liquid provides protection to the surface even when the liquid has dried. The residue will wipe off so will not create a biofilm but while the residue is on the surface it will continue to rupture enveloped viruses that try to settle on them and thus provide protection.
You may ask how do alcohol wipes compare? the simple answer is that the correct amount of alcohol will kill a virus but when applied to a wipe you need to be sure the alcohol does not evaporate below a level that makes them effective and any efficacy is only while the alcohol is liquid, it provides no residual protection.
Check out Surface Sanitizers here, and if you have any questions please get in touch.