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11 Executive Briefing Sponsored by: Myths and Misconceptions About One of Healthcare's Oldest Disinfection Tools C laude Louis Berthollot held a vial of cloudy solution up to the light pouring in from the window of his laboratory, which overlooked the river Seine in a town just west of Par- is in 1789. As he swirled the mixture, he was unaware his concoc- tion was destined to become a go-to disinfectant for all manner of cleaning needs for centuries to come. Bleach, the name of Monsieur Berthollot's now-ubiquitous liquid, began its ongoing relationship with healthcare almost right away, and although it has become a cornerstone of cultural cleanliness in the centuries since, some misconceptions about the solution persist. The long history of bleach in healthcare settings When microbiologists started to put names to the germs they knew were responsible for so many hospital-acquired infections — Clostridium difficile or Staphylococcus aureus, among others — there were very few first lines of defense for achieving cleanliness with some degree of certainty. That same mixture of sodium hypochlorite Berthollot developed in France in 1789 was one of them. Records show that by 1825, bleach was already used to sanitize hospital wards. While the basic technological innovation that is bleach has remained strikingly similar to its original form, years of tinkering and experiments by researchers has worked to maximize its potency while mitigating attributes like odor and corrosive- ness. Dedicated to improving its efficacy and ease-of-use in healthcare settings, research teams at Clorox Healthcare have contributed to these advances, formulating their bleach-based solutions for optimal cleaning, disinfection and user-friendliness. Myths and misconceptions "Bleach is one of the most widely available disinfectants on earth and has played a critical role in helping to protect public health by killing germs that cause illness in the home and other settings where healthcare is delivered," says Sarah Bell-West, PhD, a senior scientist with the research and development team at Clorox Healthcare. That being said, there are some myths and misconceptions about bleach. Surface Compatibility A common concern with any disinfectant is its compatibility with surfaces, and hospital staff may question whether they can use bleach safely on a broad range of surfaces. "Choosing the right disinfectant and ensuring it is used correctly are crucial steps toward ensuring a safe environment of care," Dr. Bell- West says. "We've formulated our ready-to-use bleach-based disinfectants with corrosion inhibitors. This allows our products to be more compatible with surfaces without some of the more adverse effects you would see with other bleach products that may not have those extra ingredients in there." This innovation enables Clorox Healthcare's bleach-based disinfectants to be safe on common hard, non-porous surfac- es, including many plastics, tiles and metals. Because of the anti-corrosive properties of the ready-to-use bleach solution, a wide variety of hospital surfaces — sinks, counter tops, bed rail- ings and even many pieces of medical equipment — will hold up against prolonged use of the product. "A lot of effort has gone into testing all of our products on various pieces of hospital, acute care and long-term care equipment," says Jeff Jones, a national account manager for Clorox Healthcare. Last year, Clorox Healthcare launched Clorox Healthcare Compatible to help equipment manufacturers meet Food and Drug Administration guidelines for the validation of cleaning and disinfection of medical devices. With Clorox Healthcare Com- patible, Clorox Healthcare works with manufacturers to validate compatibility claims via third-party testing and identifies which disinfectant products are safe for use on everything from lights and beds to infusion pumps and ultrasound transducers. Equip- ment manufacturers also endorse the use of approved Clorox Healthcare disinfectants in their user guides for easy reference. Residue Dr. Bell-West fields many questions regarding residue that is left behind due to the chemical nature of bleach. "Sodium hypochlorite, bleach's active ingredient, degrades to salt and water as it disinfects, so any residue that is left behind is purely a mixture of salt and water and easily wipes away using any damp cloth." Wiping not only removes visible residue, but it also pre- vents the salt from building up over time and scratching the surface. Additionally, Mr. Jones says customers he works with find ready-to-use bleach wipes, developed to standardize the amount of disinfectant on each wipe, ensure that users deliver the right amount of bleach to the surface, which helps to mini- mize any residue left behind. Odor Although the smell of bleach in a space is often automat- ically associated with an air of cleanliness, there are some who are concerned about disinfectant odors, particularly in