OBSERVATIONS ON THE EFFICACY OF HOUSEHOLD SANITIZING AGENTS AGAINST UBIQUITOUS MICROORGANISMS

Abstract

The study was undertaken to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of two commercially available sanitizing agents such as dettol and savlon in the Department of Microbiology and Hygiene, BAU, Mymensingh during the period from July to December 2004. The stock solutions of dettol and savlon for Surface applications were prepared as per recommendation of the manufacturer. One litre each of prepared stock solution of dettol and savlon was spread uniformly over one square meter floor surface. Three different floor surfaces such as tile floor, mosaic floor and ordinary cement floor were treated. The stock solutions were allowed to stand on the floor surfaces for a period of one, two and five minutes and total viable count of floor surface washings were determined. Antimicrobial activity of dettol and savlon was also determined against test organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Total viable count of floor washing sample prior to exposure of antimicrobial agents was found highest in ordinary cement floor (600 cfu/ml) followed by mosaic floor (450 cfu/ml) and tile floor (350 cfu/ml). There was a progressive decline in viable organisms as the time of exposure of the sanitizing- agents increased. The reduction of viable counts found after five minutes exposure of sanitizing agents with dettol were 150 cfu/ml, 75 cfu/ml and 65 cfu/ml and with savlon were 100 cfu/ml, 18 cfu/ml and 16 cfu/ml in ordinary cement floor, mosaic floor and tile floor, respectively. Savlon possessed more inhibitory property than dettol against four test organisms. However, Staphylococcus aureus were found to resist the antibacterial properties of both dettol and savlon. It may be concluded that while using commercial chemical sanitizing agents for domestic purpose care should be taken in its selection and efficacy.