Joshua Schwartz is the president and cofounder of Viking Pure Solutions, a company transforming infection prevention through sustainable, nontoxic electrolyzed water technology. He is passionate about protecting people and the planet through smarter infection prevention practices.

Joshua Schwartz 

A striking animation of a wave made of microbes, representing an impending tidal wave of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is on the rise, putting people’s lives on the line. According to the World Health Organization, antibiotic-resistant infections are spiking at an alarming rate, and experts predict this could lead to a 

Hospitals are under siege from this sharply rising threat. Findings from the CDC show that the US faces 

 antimicrobial-resistant infections on an annual basis, leading to the death of 35,000 people. Moreover, the financial toll of these infections, including hospital-onset infections, is catastrophic, hitting 

Now is the time for hospitals and health care institutions to act, but that does not simply mean increasing the frequency of surface disinfection. These drug-resistant infection trends are a harrowing call to action that there needs to be a rewiring of hospital hygiene and cleaning policies. Here are practical strategies to consider to more effectively protect staff and patients.

Harsh cleaning products are a double-edged sword. While effective for cleaning, they can also pose risks to human health. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in most cleaning products, such as detergents and bleach, are linked with upper respiratory issues, including 

. This compounds the risk of weakened immune systems, something that hospitals filled with recovering patients cannot afford.

At the same time, however, health care centers need to use chemicals strong enough to disinfect surfaces. Moreover, they must be able to penetrate 

 of all bacterial infections in healthcare facilities.

Fortunately, there is a nontoxic alternative powerful enough to mitigate all of these threats: Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), which is just as effective as bleach. The chemical composition of HOCI allows it to break through cell membranes and bacterial walls.

Not only is it safer for people’s respiratory systems, but it also does not produce toxic byproducts. From a sustainability and health standpoint, HOCI is a worthwhile alternative to pursue.

Beyond adopting safer, more sustainable chemicals in cleaning products, hospital managers also need to rethink their disinfection programs. These need to be built for greater efficacy, improved staff safety, and enhanced adherence.

A future-ready cleaning strategy accounts for all weak points, which is why audits are essential. These also enable hospital managers to build a blueprint that takes their cleaning practices from average or good to excellent. These audits should consider:

The infection rate among staff and patients, including antibiotic-resistant cases.

Indoor air quality measurements that track PM2.5 and VOC levels.

A complete inventory of cleaning and disinfecting products used, and whether they comply with local regulations. This also includes how they are stored, their respective hazards and warnings, and safety risks from exposure, mixing, or incorrect potency.

Current cleaning schedules and how frequently all areas are cleaned according to infection risk.

Another crucial factor is staff training. Hospital staff should be well-versed in cleaning protocols, including the associated health and safety hazards. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Hazard Communication standard, for instance, is designed so that workers understand and can access key information on chemical classifications and their hazards. Managers are duty-bound to train cleaning staff in best practices and required protocols to minimize infection risks. Some key areas include:

Ensuring disinfectants remain wet on surfaces for the correct dwell time.

Using practices that reduce cross-contamination risk, like color-coding systems for microfiber cleaning cloths.

Replacing bacteria-spreading tools, such as mop buckets, with more sanitary alternatives, like microfiber flat mops, steam mops, and floor scrubbers.

Hospitals stand on the front lines in the battle against new infection threats. Cleaning staff must also strike a balance between maintaining clean environments and protecting patients’ (and their own) health. Exploring alternative cleaning products and mapping out an action plan to improve protocols are just the first steps toward future-proofing sanitization practices.

Articles


With the threat of antibiotic-resistant infections on the rise, hospitals must recalibrate cleaning protocols that maximize people’s health and well-being while continuously mitigating infection risks. 


How Smarter Disinfection Programs Can Reduce Antimicrobial Resistance Risks

Microscopic view of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and microbes spreading on hospital surfaces.

Now is the time for hospitals and health care institutions to act, but that does not simply mean increasing the frequency of surface disinfection. These drug-resistant infection trends are a harrowing call to action that there needs to be a rewiring of hospital hygiene and cleaning policies. Here are practical strategies to help protect staff and patients more effectively.

 of all bacterial infections in health care facilities.

Fortunately, there is a nontoxic alternative powerful enough to mitigate all of these threats: Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), which is just as effective as bleach. The chemical composition of HOCI enables it to penetrate cell membranes and bacterial cell walls.

Beyond adopting safer, more sustainable chemicals in cleaning products, hospital managers also need to rethink their disinfection programs. These need to be built for greater efficacy, improved staff safety, and better adherence.

A future-ready cleaning strategy accounts for all weak points, which is why audits are essential. These also enable hospital managers to build a blueprint that takes their cleaning practices from average or good to excellent. These audits should take into account:

Another crucial factor is staff training. Hospital staff should be well-versed in cleaning protocols, including the associated health and safety hazards. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Hazard Communication standard, for instance, is designed to ensure workers understand and can access key information on chemical classifications and their hazards. 

Managers are duty-bound to train cleaning staff in best practices and required protocols to minimize infection risks. Some key areas include:

Hospitals stand on the frontlines of battling new threats of infections. Cleaning staff also have to strike a balance between maintaining clean environments and protecting patients’ (and their own) health. Looking at alternative cleaning products and mapping out an action plan for improving protocols are just the starting steps to future-proofing sanitization practices.

With the threat of antibiotic-resistant infections rising, hospitals must recalibrate cleaning protocols to maximize people’s health and well-being while continuously mitigating infection risks. 

Superbug-Related Deaths: A Call to Action for Hospitals

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

 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.

 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 

, 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 

 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.

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.

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.

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.

Across the world, research shows that electrolyzed water is making its way into everyday spaces. A company in Australia 

 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.

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.

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?

As drug-resistant infections rise, infection preventionists must look beyond outdated disinfectants. HOCl offers a safer, sustainable solution that has been proven effective, residue-free, and ready for health care use today.

Joshua Schwartz

Articles

How Smarter Disinfection Programs Can Reduce Antimicrobial Resistance Risks

Superbug-Related Deaths: A Call to Action for Hospitals

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