Why C. diff is different
Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) causes severe diarrhea and colitis. It spreads through spores in feces that can survive on surfaces for long periods. Those spores resist many common disinfectants, including many quaternary ammonium products and alcohol-based sanitizers. Effective environmental cleaning requires sporicidal products, meaning products registered by EPA with a C. difficile spore claim, used exactly as labeled.
C. diff is a particular concern in hospitals, nursing homes and other care settings, and in homes where someone recovering from C. diff lives with older adults or immunocompromised people.
What we do
- Identify affected areas, especially bathrooms, toilets, commodes, bed rails, bedside tables, call buttons, flooring around beds and toilets, and high-touch surfaces.
- Thorough cleaning to remove organic material, because spores in fecal residue are shielded from disinfectants.
- Sporicidal disinfection with EPA-registered products bearing C. difficile claims, kept wet for the full contact time. Many are bleach-based, so surface compatibility is considered.
- Soft goods. Linens go to laundering. Porous items that can't be laundered or treated may be removed.
- Documentation of products and methods.
Homes
When someone comes home after a C. diff infection, household members often want the bathroom and bedroom thoroughly decontaminated. Handwashing with soap and water matters too, because alcohol hand sanitizer doesn't kill C. diff spores.
Care facilities
Facilities have their own infection-prevention programs and regulatory obligations. We supplement environmental services for terminal cleaning, outbreak surge capacity or special circumstances, following your protocols.
Common questions
Does Lysol kill C. diff?
Only products specifically registered by EPA with a C. difficile spore claim should be relied on, used as labeled. Check the product's label claims.
How long do spores last?
C. diff spores can persist on surfaces for months, which is why sporicidal cleaning matters.