Clorox Healthcare(TM) Bleach Germicidal Wipes Receive U.S. EPA Registration to Kill Clostridium difficile Spores in Three Minutes

OAKLAND, Calif., July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Clorox Professional Products Company, a division of The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX), announced today that Clorox Healthcare(TM) Bleach Germicidal Wipes are now registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to kill Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) spores in three minutes, the fastest C. difficile contact time available for disinfecting wipes.[i]

Clorox Healthcare(TM) Bleach Germicidal Wipes are now EPA-registered to kill a total of 51 microorganisms, including all ESKAPE pathogens (E. faecium, S. aureus, K. pneumonia, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, E. aerogenes) in 30 seconds, norovirus in one minute and TB and C. difficile in three minutes. The wipes are ready-to-use, hospital-grade disinfectant wipes and are trusted by more U.S. hospitals than any other bleach wipe.[ii]

"Clorox Healthcare understands that in fast-paced healthcare settings it is important for healthcare professionals to have effective solutions that can save them precious minutes in their daily environmental disinfection routine," said Beata Grabowski, senior director of marketing, Clorox Professional Products Company. "The new EPA-registered three-minute C. difficile claim for Clorox Healthcare(TM) Bleach Germicidal Wipes allows healthcare professionals to help reduce the spread of C. difficile in their quest to improve patient care."

Clorox Healthcare(TM) Bleach Germicidal Wipes contain 0.55% (5500ppm) sodium hypochlorite, which exceeds the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) recommended requirement to kill many of the pathogens of most concern to healthcare facilities. Clorox Healthcare(TM) Bleach Germicidal Wipes are equal to a 1:10 dilution of liquid bleach and include an odor-masking agent, specially formulated to provide fast, effective disinfecting to accommodate the most sensitive healthcare environments and users.

C. difficile, a spore-forming bacterium found in the intestines that can cause diarrhea to more serious life-threatening intestinal diseases, is a growing concern for healthcare facilities in the United States. According to the CDC's recent March 2012 Vital Signs Report, C. difficile infections are at an all-time high and are linked to 14,000 deaths in the United States each year.[iii]

Clorox Healthcare(TM) Bleach Germicidal Wipes are suitable for use on most hard, nonporous surfaces including stainless steel.  They are offered in multiple packaging options designed for multipurpose use (6.75" x 9" wipes, 70 ct.), terminal cleaning (12" x 12" wipes, 110 ct.) and clinical surfaces (6" x 5" wipes, 150 ct.). Beginning in September 2012, a new, slimmer 70-count wipes canister will be available for improved dispensing and an overall better end-user experience. Clorox Healthcare(TM) Bleach Germicidal Wipes were originally EPA-registered to kill C. difficile spores in June 2011 and their EPA registration number is 67619-12.

About Clorox Professional Products Company
Clorox markets some of the most trusted and recognized brand names for healthcare settings, including Clorox(R), DISPATCH(R) and Citrace(R). These Clorox products are fast-acting, EPA-registered disinfectants intended for use by healthcare personnel on environmental surfaces and medical equipment to help reduce the spread of pathogens that cause healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). By expanding its portfolio to include Clorox Healthcare(TM) Hydrogen Peroxide Cleaner Disinfectant Wipes and Spray, the company offers many disinfecting options beyond its signature bleach-based products to meet all healthcare facility needs. And with the acquisition of Caltech Industries, Clorox has become one of the leading providers of bleach disinfectants in more than 2,500 acute care facilities across the nation. Clorox also recently acquired Aplicare, a company specializing in products that help prevent skin infections, and HealthLink, a company that bundles a wide assortment of products for healthcare professionals. The addition of these two leading providers of infection-control products will help Clorox expand its healthcare portfolio and reinforce the company's commitment to help the healthcare industry stop the spread of infections. For more information, visit www.cloroxhealthcare.com.

[i] 3-minute C. difficile spore claim has been registered by the Federal EPA and may not yet be available in all 50 states. Check with your sales representative for updates in your state. Use as directed on precleaned hard, nonporous surfaces.

[ii] Based on responses given by 278 EVS and IP decision makers in acute care facilities when asked to identify wipes used in their facility.

[iii] CDC. March 2012. Vital Signs: Making Health Care Safer. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/hai/.

SOURCE Clorox Professional Products Company