In any medical environment, whether it be a hospital, care home or dentist surgery, it is imperative that you can trust your cleaning products to give you safe and reliable results.
Medical settings require a high level of hygiene standards due to the ever-growing risk of cross-contamination. The spread of infection is something that places such as hospitals can’t afford to risk due to the vulnerability of patients, therefore selecting the highest quality wipe possible is vital in keeping your surroundings safe and eliminating risks.
To help you make an informed choice we’ve shared our advice on how to pick the best quality medical wipe…
1. Look for products that have certified medical testing and accreditations
The first step to finding top quality medical wipes is to do your research on specific qualities and accreditations a medical wipe should contain in order to meet medical standards. This helps to narrow down your search and will give you a general idea of what is suitable for medical settings and what is not.
One of the easiest ways to identify high quality from low quality wipes is to check the standard of testing that they hold. EN16615 was launched in 2015 as a testing method evaluating bactericidal and yeasticidal activity of disinfectant wipes intended for use in the medical industry.
Our Clinical Midi-Wipes are independently laboratory-tested and meet the highest EN standard accreditations available including EN14476, EN1276, EN13727, EN16615 and EN1456. These accreditations are vital when identifying high quality disinfectant wipes, as they demonstrate that a wipe contains features which are clinically proven to prevent the spread of germs and infection by killing bacteria and viruses.
Additionally, following the British Institute of Cleaning (BISCs) colour coding system can help you to identify the best suited wipes for particular settings within an organisation. For instance, wipes which are stored in yellow packaging are approved for clinical use and are recommended in times of viral outbreaks, making them ideal for use in settings such as hospital wards.
2 Check local policies and manufacturer claims
The NHS states that “Local policy should outline where and when detergent and water are enough and where a detergent and disinfectant (or combined cleaning and disinfecting agent) are required.” This statement highlights the importance of checking local policies when choosing any cleaning product. Following advice from local policy advisers can help guide you when choosing a top quality wipe brand.
Also, professional bodies such as ‘The Royal College of Nursing (RCN)’ provides useful guidance on the use and selection of disinfectant wipes. Throughout their documentation, they display the importance of the manufacturer during the selection process.
Manufacturers should provide essential information on areas such as the ingredients and limitations of a product, in a format which is easy to understand to the consumer. This information is fundamental when selecting medical wipes, and should be noted as accurately as possible without any false claims.
3. Consider the intended use and properties of the wipe
A key consideration when selecting a medical wipe is to identify the intended application of the wipe, as wipes will vary in fabrics and chemicals depending on how the product will be applied. For example, some wipes may be used for purposes such as wiping down patient equipment or to clean frequent touch points.
Certain wipes may be more effective than others throughout different healthcare settings, for example when used incorrectly detergent wipes can spread pathogenic microorganisms between surfaces which can be very dangerous in high risk settings, like operating rooms.
To prevent the spread of infection or cross-contamination we would recommend using a low-lint wipe as they reduce the amount of particles left behind on surfaces, something which is commonly seen in low-quality wipes.
Additionally, most medical settings contain lots of specialist equipment which can be damaged if a build up of lint or dust occurs inside. Our Clinical Clothwipe range is our largest and strongest antibacterial wipe and has been specially made out of a microfiber fabric and contains low-lint.
