Galway company Hygeia, based in Oranmore has launched a new anti-viral disinfectant which is effective against a broad spectrum of viruses and works within five minutes.
HyClean, which is designed for both home and industrial applications, uses the same active ingredient as products approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for sanitizing surfaces against viruses. It is available in ready-to-use or concentrate formulations from your local retailer.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO ), Coronaviruses (CoV ) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV ) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV ). These viruses can survive on surfaces from hours to days, resulting in high disease transfer rates.
A study conducted by the The New England Journal of Medicine found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 ), the virus which causes COVID-19, was detectable in aerosols (or tiny droplets ) for up to three hours, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard, and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel. As these sometimes-fatal viruses are transmitted through the air and also from touching contaminated objects, thorough and effective cleaning is essential.
HyClean is available in a user-friendly ready-to-use spray bottle along with concentrate formulations in 1 litre, 5 litre, and 10 litre containers. The product is bleach free, alcohol free, and phosphate free and has been approved by the Irish authorities for production and sale in Ireland.
Brendan Moran, technical director with Hygeia, said: “HyClean Anti-Virus is an innovative formulation containing positively-charged surface agents which bind very well to negatively-charged membranes. In addition, HyClean has much better abilities to remain active in hard water and is more tolerant of anionic residues. HyClean is suitable for use on hard and non-porous surfaces including stainless steel, counter tops, glass, tiled floors, porcelain, plastic, and glazed or sealed stone or granite”.
Speaking at the launch of HyClean, John Byrne, CEO of Hygeia, commented: “In these uncertain times, the health of our families and safety in our homes is of paramount importance. At Hygeia, we have built our business and reputation on producing safe and sustainable products for over 80 years. In recent weeks we have turned our experience, expertise, and capabilities to produce an antivirus formulation. Our experienced team has focused their efforts in creating and getting authorisation for this new and innovative product. We hope, through the use of HyClean Antivirus, we contribute in some way to making our homes, stores, and businesses safer.”
Hygeia specialises in the production of household, gardening, plant protection, and veterinary products in both the Irish and UK market. Visit www.hygeia.ie for further information.
