Video
There are multiple test methods around the globe that help to set standards for antimicrobial products, but they tend to fall into two general categories: wet test or dry test. In this video, Corning breaks down the difference between wet test conditions and dry test conditions and analyzes which test conditions best resemble the surfaces that surround us.
The U.S. EPA recently announced new guidance for testing antimicrobial products that would enable residual efficacy claims.Traditionally, disinfectants are liquid-based and are tested based on their ability to kill viruses and bacteria on contact when applied to a surface. But innovative companies are working toward developing technologies that would provide residual efficacy, meaning they could remain effective against germs for days, weeks, months, or years after the antimicrobial product is applied.
As noted by the EPA in their October 14 release, "Residual disinfectants, by contrast, must clear a higher standard of efficacy." New guidance for testing residual disinifectants requires that observations be made after the surface has dried - a requirement that secures this protocol's place in the "dry" test category.
