ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Detergent wet wipes commonly used in hospitals could be spreading superbug infections from one surface to another.

This is the claim being made by researchers at Cardiff University. And wet wipes are not consistently effective in killing disease-causing bacteria, according to the team from the university's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science.

Researchers tested seven detergent wipes on three antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Following a 10-second wiping procedure the wipes proved to be inconsistent in their ability to remove MRSA, C.difficile and Acinetobacter from hospital surfaces. However in every case, the wipes spread the bacteria from one surface to another.

Most UK infection control policies support the use of detergent-based wet wipes for routine cleaning in hospitals.

"The rise of healthcare related infections has placed huge emphasis in recent years on cleansing and disinfection practices," said study author professor Jean-Yves Maillard. "Hospitals need to be sure that the cleaning products they're using are actually safe.

"Wet wipes are generally good products, but their efficacy can be improved. Hospital staff must be educated to ensure that these products are used properly and will not cause an unnecessary risk to staff and patients - a single wipe should not be used on multiple surfaces."