How Much Does Surface Wetness Matter When Using Disinfectant Wipes?

Disinfectant wipes are used to disinfect hard, nonporous surfaces, such as noncritical medical devices, countertops, or tables. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that manufacturers of disinfectant wipes include verbiage in their instructions for use (IFUs) specifying that when a wipe is being used to disinfect a surface, users must ensure that the surface remains visibly wet with the disinfectant (by rewiping as needed) for the duration of the contact time, or "wet time," specified by the manufacturer.

However, some members of the infection control community have begun to debate whether it is necessary to keep the surface visibly wet for the entire contact time. This debate arises from how EPA-required efficacy testing is conducted and from the findings of a few studies. These studies challenge the notion that visible wetness is required to kill pathogens and suggest that leaving the surface undisturbed for the specified contact time after an initial application of disinfectant is sufficient. The studies themselves have been challenged and are not universally accepted, however.

We recommend that facilities use disinfectant towelettes in accordance with manufacturer instructions on product labels, all of which currently indicate that the surface should remain wet for the specified contact time. This is consistent with EPA's recommendation that surfaces remain wet when disinfected. This article explains our rationale.