Disinfection alternatives for contact surfaces and toys at child care centers

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Environmental Health
• Infection Control

Background:

• Child care surfaces can harbor and spread disease-causing microorganisms.
• Effective disinfection is crucial for preventing microbial transmission in these environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of three disinfectants: CITRUS Farm Edition® (CFE), Clorox® GreenWorks™ (CGW), and Clorox® Anywhere® (CA).
• To determine their effectiveness against Salmonella Typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus on high chair and ball toy surfaces.

Main Methods:

• Bacterial strains (S. Typhimurium and S. aureus) were inoculated onto high chair and ball toy surfaces.
• Disinfectants were applied via spraying.
• Bacteria were recovered using a sponge method for enumeration.

Main Results:

• Clorox® Anywhere® (CA) demonstrated the highest log reduction for both S. aureus (3.92 Log(10)) and S. Typhimurium (3.22 Log(10)) on the high chair.
• Clorox® GreenWorks™ (CGW) achieved reductions of 2.84 Log(10) for S. aureus and 2.12 Log(10) for S. Typhimurium on the high chair.
• CITRUS Farm Edition® (CFE) showed the lowest efficacy, with reductions of 1.42 Log(10) for S. aureus and 1.53 Log(10) for S. Typhimurium on the ball toy.

Conclusions:

• Clorox® Anywhere® (CA) was the most effective disinfectant across both bacterial species and surfaces tested.
• The findings underscore the need to incorporate proven disinfectant efficacy into child care infection control programs.