OAKLAND, Calif., May 5, 2008 – While MRSA has been an issue in healthcare settings for years, CA-MRSA outbreaks in the community have been on the rise, with the greatest risk in community settings such as fitness clubs, in sports teams, at schools and daycare centers. In May, The Clorox Company will launch Clorox® Pro Quaternary All-Purpose Disinfectant Cleaner, a disinfectant that is EPA registered to kill germs, including Healthcare-associated and Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA).
Clorox® Pro Quaternary All-Purpose Disinfectant Cleaner is a one-step, labor-saving solution for killing both strains of MRSA as well as a variety of other illness causing germs, such as Hepatitis B and C, Avian Influenza A, HIV-1 and HIV-2, SARS-associated Coronavirus, Rotavirus, Salmonella enterica and E. coli. This hospital grade disinfectant is also a powerful cleaner with a no-rinse pH-neutral, bleach free formula.
“This product offers confidence to those professionals who want to help reduce the spread of germs in their environment, particularly those who are vulnerable to a CA-MRSA outbreak,” said Jennifer Case, New Business Development Manager, Clorox Away from Home Division. “Clorox® Pro Quaternary All-Purpose Disinfectant Cleaner is EPA registered to kill both healthcare and community associated strains of MRSA, and is also a powerful all-in-one cleaner and disinfectant that gives you peace of mind that you are using the right product to disinfect surfaces and help reduce the risk of exposure.”
About MRSA
MRSA is a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to some common antibiotics such as methicillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. There are two known types – Healthcare-associated (HA-MRSA or MRSA) and Community-associated (CA-MRSA). CA-MRSA is relatively new and refers to an infection acquired by persons who have not been recently (in past year) hospitalized or had a medical procedure. CA-MRSA can spread in highly-populated community settings where there are shared items or surfaces and person-to-person contact, making disinfecting frequently-touched surfaces crucial. Clorox® Pro Quaternary All-Purpose Disinfectant Cleaner is the first nationally-branded disinfectant with a CA-MRSA kill claim to be available for professional environments, such as:
- Recreational facilities: fitness clubs, gymnasiums/arenas, locker rooms and sporting equipment
- Consumer-facing businesses: restaurants, cruise ships, airplanes and hotels
- Public service facilities: fire stations, police stations and jails
- Schools and childcare facilities: classrooms, cafeterias and playgrounds
Clorox® Pro Quaternary All-Purpose Disinfectant Cleaner can be used on a wide variety of hard, nonporous surfaces and in potential CA-MRSA “hot spots,” including shower stalls, exercise equipment and mats, whirlpool units, steam rooms, artificial turf and helmets, outdoor play equipment – as well as surfaces in other work environments, such as desks, bathrooms, handles and tables.
Using an EPA-registered disinfectant like Clorox® Pro Quaternary All-Purpose Disinfectant Cleaner is an important step to help prevent the spread of CA-MRSA. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommend these steps:
- Proper personal hygiene (do not share personal items, such as towels, water bottles, razors, etc.)
- Cover cuts and abrasions with clean, dry bandages until healed
- Incorporate use of an appropriate EPA-registered disinfectant to properly clean and disinfect surfaces
About Clorox® Pro Quaternary All-Purpose Disinfectant Cleaner
Clorox® Pro Quaternary All-Purpose Disinfectant Cleaner has a non-bleach based, pH-neutral formulation with a pleasant, fresh fragrance. The product’s kill claims include both known types of MRSA and other common bacteria, viruses and fungi, such as Influenza A2, Rotavirus, Hepatitis B and C, HIV-1 and HIV-2, SARS-associated Coronavirus, Trichophyton mentagrophytes (athlete’s foot fungus), Salmonella enterica and E. coli. As a quaternary (bleach free) formula, it can be used to clean and disinfect a wide variety of surfaces such as floors, stainless steel, sealed granite, glazed ceramic tiles, shower stalls and plastic and metal surfaces. The product is offered in a dilutable formula (1oz per gallon of water) and there is no rinsing required. It also meets OSHA’s bloodborne pathogen standards for HBV and HIV.
Clorox® Pro Quaternary All-Purpose Disinfectant Cleaner will be available starting May 2008. It can be purchased by contacting an authorized Clorox distributor. Visit www.cloroxprofessional.com or call (888) 797-7225 for more information.
“Quaternary” disinfectants are cleaners formulated with quaternary ammonium compounds that provide excellent cleaning and disinfecting properties.
About The Clorox Company
The Clorox Company, a leading manufacturer of cleaning and disinfecting products for the retail, health care, education, food service and recreational markets, has promoted health and wellness since its founding in 1913. Clorox markets some of consumers’ and professionals’ most trusted and recognized brand names, including its namesake bleach and cleaning products such as Clorox® Anywhere Hand Sanitizing Spray, Clorox® Pro Quaternary All-Purpose Disinfectant Cleaner, Green Works®, Formula 409®, PineSol® and Tilex®. Clorox also manufactures and markets Armor All® and STP® auto-care products, Fresh Step® and Scoop Away® cat litter, Kingsford® charcoal, Hidden Valley® and K C Masterpiece® dressings and sauces, Brita® water-filtration systems, Glad® bags, wraps and containers, and Burt's Bees® natural personal care products. Fiscal year 2007 revenues were $4.8 billion. For more information, visit www.TheCloroxCompany.com.