Rethinking Clean: How Outdated Disinfection Practices Are Fueling the AMR Crisis

Drops of blue hypochlorous acid are swirling in clear liquid on white background

(Adobe Stock 494832285 by pavel_dp

A landmark study published in The Lancet recently projected that antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections could cause more than 39 million deaths annually by 2050. That is a staggering number, and one that has captured the attention of infection control professionals globally. But equally troubling is the fact that approximately three-quarters of AMR infections are acquired in healthcare environments, the very spaces where people go to heal.

Researchers in places like Spain and the US have found that many frequently touched surfaces in hospitals still carry bacteria, even after routine cleaning. These bacteria are not only dangerous, they are also showing resistance to antibiotics and many of the disinfectants currently in use.

While antibiotic stewardship is a critical pillar in fighting AMR, I believe we are overlooking an equally important piece of the puzzle: how we clean.

Pathogens Are Getting Smarter and So Should We

Health care facilities have relied on the same harsh chemical disinfectants for decades. But those disinfectants are showing their limits. A recent study confirmed that Acinetobacter baumannii, a dangerous hospital-acquired pathogen, has evolved to survive many chemical disinfectants. We’ve seen this with past organisms; however, it’s now adapted to even degrade the very plastics used in medical devices, showing an urgent need to mature cleaning practices, especially in environments dedicated to protecting our most vulnerable.

Using strong chemical cleaners has led to other far-reaching problems. Some release gases that can affect breathing and may cause other health concerns over time, including products that are marketed as “green” but are not sustainable (a process known as greenwashing). Many come packaged in disposable plastic, which adds to the growing issue of waste.

How HOCl Works: Nature’s Disinfectant

There is a better option, and it is one nature has been using for millions of years: hypochlorous acid (HOCl). HOCl is the same molecule that our white blood cells produce to neutralize pathogens. It is highly effective, nontoxic, and fast-acting, destroying bacteria, viruses, and spores without giving them time to adapt or develop resistance.

Through electrolysis, HOCl can be generated from salt, water, and electricity, creating electrolyzed water solutions on demand. It offers broad-spectrum disinfection with no harsh fumes, no toxic residues, and no corrosive damage to equipment.

Growing Success Outside Acute Care

While HOCl is not yet the standard in acute health care, it has already seen growing success in other sectors. Senior living communities, schools, food manufacturing facilities, recreational venues, and commercial buildings have adopted electrolyzed water technology to replace chemical disinfectants, reduce chemical exposure, and improve environmental sustainability. These sectors have recognized that harsh chemicals do not guarantee safety, and that safe, effective alternatives can transform infection control practices for the better.

Yet even in these environments, HOCl adoption continues to face the deeply rooted perception that the smell of bleach or scents like citrus or pine equals “clean.” The truth is, “clean” should mean pathogen-free, not saturated with toxic residues or irritating VOCs.

We are now seeing a rising trend in North America with regulators starting to recognize electrolyzed water’s safety and effectiveness. Studies keep reinforcing its value as a disinfectant that can be used without harmful fumes or residues. This, coupled with a growing desire to adopt sustainable day-to-day practices, people are looking to preserve the environment and safety more today than ever before.

Barriers to Acute Care Adoption

Hospitals have been slower to adopt electrolyzed water, and several reasons explain that. One is the long-standing belief that only traditional chemicals are strong enough for high-risk environments. The other is practical: earlier versions of electrolyzed water systems could not always produce enough volume or maintain the required strength in a hospital setting. These limits made it hard for facilities to move away from the chemical products they were familiar with.

That is now starting to shift.

Across the world, research shows that electrolyzed water is making its way into everyday spaces. A company in Australia reports its systems now serve more than 160 hospitals in New South Wales. Their setup costs just a cent per liter to run and has already cut out over half a billion liters of chemical cleaners and 125 million plastic containers. In countries like Japan, you will even find units in kitchens across the country.

Newer systems, like those from Viking Pure Solutions, are built to meet the needs of acute care. They produce both disinfectant and general-purpose cleaner onsite, in the amounts hospitals use every day. The solution is stable, safe, and consistent, removing the need to rely on chemical supply chains or stockpile plastic-heavy products. It’s a simpler, safer way to get the results hospitals depend on.

From Risk Reduction to Risk Prevention

The rise of drug-resistant bacteria has made it clear that many of our old cleaning methods are no longer enough. If germs are surviving disinfectants and even damaging the materials in patient rooms, using more potent chemicals will not solve the problem. We need a different approach.

HOCl offers that option. It works like the body’s own defense system, breaking down harmful microbes without leaving behind toxic residue or fumes. Unlike many chemicals, it does not give bacteria a chance to adapt. It protects people without adding risk.

You will already find it in use in senior care, schools, food production, and office buildings. Now that onsite systems are easier to install and run, hospitals have a chance to catch up. Updating how we clean is not only about safety, it is also about keeping up with the science and making choices that support long-term public health.

A Call to Action

We are running out of time when it comes to drug-resistant infections; how we clean matters just as much as how we treat illness. It is on health care leaders to take a hard look at what is still working—and what’s not. That means questioning old habits and being open to safer, proven tools already in use elsewhere.

Electrolyzed water is not new and not experimental. It is being used every day in hospitals, schools, and public spaces. It gets the job done without putting people or the environment at risk. The idea that strong fumes and warning labels are the price of a clean space no longer holds up.

If a disinfectant can kill harmful bacteria without making anyone sick in the process, why not use it? Why not expect better from the products we use to protect people?

HOCl can be made onsite, at scale, using simple materials. It is already helping other sectors rethink how they approach hygiene. Maybe the bigger question now is: What is stopping hospitals from doing the same?