Remanence effect

Remanence effect (from the Latin remanere = to remain behind) describes the period of time for disinfectants during which the disinfected object is protected from recontamination after the point in time of direct disinfection.

The remanence effect is made possible in most cases by adding non-volatile biocides to the alcoholic, volatile disinfecting substances. The remanence effect is important in surgical hand disinfection and in surface disinfection (e.g. operating rooms ), since there a reduction in the number of germs on the hands is required over a longer period of time.

See also: remanence