Similar to how antibiotics exert selective pressure on bacteria, certain cleaning agents can do the same. Disinfectants that leave behind residue may not completely eliminate all microorganisms. Instead, they kill off the susceptible ones, leaving behind those that have some degree of resistance. These surviving microbes can then multiply, leading to a population dominated by resistant strains.

Viking Pure’s Joshua Schwartz, President and Co-Founder, was recently included in Facilities Management Advisor with an article exploring how over-disinfection leads to antimicrobial resistance, and how we can mitigate the spread of resistant microorganisms for safer environments.