Removing bacteria from hospital surfaces: a laboratory comparison of ultramicrofibre and standard cloths.

This study compared the ability of ultramicrofibre-woven cloths with conventional cloths moistened with water only, for their ability to remove several types of organisms relevant to hospital-acquired infections from a variety of surfaces in hospitals. Ultramicrofibre cloths consistently outperformed conventional cloths in their decontamination ability, across all surfaces. The ability of the cloths to remove bacteria from surfaces was assessed by contact plating and colony formation, and by swabbing and measurement of ATP bioluminescence. The results suggest potential for use of ultramicrofibre in healthcare environments. Journal of Hospital Infection. 2008;70:265-271.