Traditional methods involve performing a carrier test on the disinfectant solution, essentially squeezing the liquid from the wipe and then testing the efficacy of the impregnating liquid. These standard EN tests involve counting a number of pathogens before submerging them into the liquid. The pathogen is then re-counted after a set period of time, (referred to as ‘contact time’) and allocated a score (referred to as ‘log-reduction’), which measures how many pathogens have been eradicated.

All disinfectants are tested to industry-standard EN methods, including for example EN 1276, which is the suspension test for establishing whether a chemical disinfectant has bactericidal activity. This test can however be performed in what is referred to as either ‘clean’ or ‘dirty’ conditions.

There is an important distinction between the two methods, as it is widely known that the presence of organic matter may reduce the activity of the disinfectant in-use.

The purpose of the ‘clean’ conditions method is to represent surfaces which have already been cleaned with a detergent formulation for example, resulting in minimal levels of organic material remaining on the surface. The dirty conditions method is to represent an area which has not been pre-cleaned, and is therefore more likely to contain higher-levels of organic material. This latter method is more relevant to products which claim to ‘clean and disinfect’, such as our Azo Universal range.

Please note that all of our Azo Universal testing has been conducted under dirty conditions, however this is not always the case with competitor brands.

The tests are conducted in the same way, however for dirty conditions, an additional ‘soil’ is added to the test solution. The obligatory soil to represent dirty conditions is a solution of bovine albumin, in which the test organisms are suspended.

The microorganisms are exposed to the test solution under controlled conditions and the number of viable bacteria is determined prior to the reduction in viability being calculated.  

Issues with this method include:

• Does not replicate the effects of the mechanical wiping action in real-life situations
• Does not account for any interaction between the wipe material and the active ingredients
• Does not identify if the act of wiping could lead to cross-contamination

This is a reference to the % of micro-organisms eradicated within the testing. For example:

• 1-log reduction = 90%
• 2-log reduction = 99%
• 3-log reduction = 99.9%
• 4-log reduction = 99.99%
• 5-log reduction = 99.999% 

The contact time and log reduction will differ pathogen-to-pathogen. Please refer to the product test data product to ascertain the appropriate contact time and log reduction for a specific organism.

Both our Azo IPA and Azo Universal ranges are supported by a strong bank of efficacy data, which comparable to/superior than many other products in the market. We are aware however that some competitors can be ‘creative’ with their efficacy claims. One particular competitor on the Universal range claim ‘effective from 10 seconds’ rather than ‘passes the standard in 10 seconds’.

This product has likely has been tested at 10 seconds and will have achieved a small reduction, as most biocides begin to work instantly on contact. This means that ‘technically’ it is effective from 10 seconds, however will likely not have achieved the full log-reduction required to pass the test until say 5 minutes.

It is also worth noting that many labs don’t actually offer these modified tests due to the difficulties in reproducing consistent results. These types of modified tests tend to be done most commonly on Universal products (in an attempt to differentiate the product) as when you examine the ingredients, the formulations are all very similar.

All of our efficacy testing is available to be downloaded via Showell. Individual test reports and one-page summary documents are available.

Introduced in 2018, the four-field test (EN 16615:2015) better replicates a ‘real-world’ environment as it evaluates the efficacy of the disinfectant solution and the wipe material combined, as opposed to simply isolating the solution. Our wipes are tested to both this standard and traditional EN methods.

See Azo Testing Guide on Showell for reference. 

Whilst some of our products do have proven residual activity against bacteria, we no longer make this claim. Infection Prevention & Control professionals are often sceptical about such claims and feel that it encourages bad practice, with staff not cleaning surfaces and equipment as thoroughly.

We offer CE marked products within our Azo 70% IPA and Azo Universal (formerly AzoMax) ranges. Full details can be found within the product brochure.

The product inside the pack is identical - the only difference between the products is the classification and ‘intended use’. The CE marked products are intended for use on non-invasive medical devices and are therefore by association a medical device themselves.

For example 81103 and 81104 are identical to AZ100WNCE and 81138, with the latter two being the CE marked equivalents. These are identified with red livery as opposed to blue - see below:

Please see our full range of cleaning and disinfection products for further information

• Azo 70% IPA = Isopropyl Alcohol
• Azo Universal (formerly AzoMax) = Chlorhexidine digluconate, Benzalkonium chloride, Didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC) & Polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB)

Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is the more common choice for medical wipes as it evaporates more rapidly than ethanol and also because it does not leave any traces of oils upon evaporation.

While isopropyl alcohol is marginally more expensive than ethanol, its superior purity characteristics make it a safer choice, especially when disinfecting sensitive electronic components.

All products within the range have a 24 month shelf-life from the date of manufacture.

Our Azo wipes range all use polypropylene or polyester-based materials. The only product which doesn’t is our Azo Detergent Flushable & Maceratable wipe, which uses a cellulose / viscose blend and is 100% plastic-free.

No, these products should never be used on skin and correct personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn at all times. Full instructions and cautionary statements are printed on the individual product packaging.

The only product within the Azo range which is maceratable is our Azo Detergent Flushable & Maceratable wipe, which uses a cellulose / viscose blend and is 100% plastic-free.

It’s important to remember that almost everything in the world is degradable over time and in the right conditions. Currently there is no specific legislation for the biodegradability of single-use disposable wipes. Non-industry-specific tests are available which test a products ability to biodegrade in a number of environments; for example, water or soil. Unlike items such as a ‘fishing net’ for example, single-use disposable wipes have no function in the environments mentioned. To avoid confusion amongst end users, Vernacare have not carried out this type of testing and do not make explicit biodegradability claims. Vernacare do however offer a range of cellulose-based wipes (i.e. derived from plants) that are completely plastic-free. Cellulose as a raw fibre is biodegradable, therefore has a much smaller impact on the environment than other synthetic materials used in wipes such as polyester or polypropylene, which can take many years to decompose.

All wipes should remain wet for their intended shelf-life when stored correctly. We would always recommend that lids are re-sealed after use and wipes are not left exposed. During the manufacturing process, the packs themselves are sealed to prevents evaporation of the impregnating liquid should the products be exposed to extreme temperatures.

Instructions and cautionary statements are printed on each individual pack, translated into the most common languages into which that individual SKU is supplied. Due to pack size restrictions, only a finite amount of languages can be printed to ensure legibility.

These products are suitable for any areas where sterility is required (e.g. clean rooms, labs, etc.). The product inside the canister is the same as 81103 (i.e. 23gsm polyester/viscose, 200 x 200mm, 200 wipes).

Yes, safety data sheets are available for all products within the range.

Whilst we do not claim lint-free, the non-woven materials used are classified as ‘low-linting’ therefore have minimal ‘fibre release’ in use.

The Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR, Regulation (EU) 528/2012) is a regulation concerning the placing of biocidal products on the market, superseding the Biocidal Products Directive in 2013.

Azo IPA wipes and sprays are approved under BPR, with a number of authorisations in place across a variety of EU member states. Azo Universal wipes and sprays are not yet approved under BPR however, as a product can only be authorised once all of the active ingredients within the formulation have been reviewed and approved. BPR has what is called a ‘Review Programme’, which is a list of existing biocidal active substances (of which there are hundreds) that are currently being worked through. This is expected to be completed by 2024. Isopropanol has already been approved (hence the Azo PA approval), as has Polyhexamethylene biguanide, however the remaining three active ingredients in the Azo Universal formulation are not yet up for review.

Quaternary ammonium compounds are a group of chemicals most commonly employed as broad-spectrum hard surface disinfectants. These are widely used across the healthcare sector.

Yes, Azo Universal (formerly AzoMax) uses Quats within the formulation, as does Tuffie 5. Azo 70% IPA and Tuffie Alcohol wipes are Quat-free.

No, Quats are not effective against spores. High-level disinfectants such as chlorine, peracetic acid or hydrogen peroxide are all effective sporicides.

No, we do not currently offer a sporicidal product.

Whilst we do have a ‘pass’ against EN13704 for our Tuffie 5 product, we no longer make the claim due to competitors discrediting the product as ‘sporistatic’. This means the product inhibits spore growth, however does not kill them.

Azo Universal (formerly AzoMax) products are alcohol-free, however Azo 70% IPA products are not.

Azo 70% IPA products are quat-free, however Azo Universal (formerly AzoMax) products are not.

We have a variety of support materials available for download, including:

• Product Brochure
• Product Selection Guide
• Testing Guide
• Touch Points Posters

Please visit our Environmental Cleaning speciality page to download these support materials.