If you work in a hospital, aged care home, or any clinical environment, you already know this:
Infection control isn’t just a protocol — it’s a battlefield.
But here’s what most people don’t know:
👉 One of the biggest threats to your infection‑prevention efforts is hiding in plain sight.
👉 And it’s costing your facility thousands — while silently damaging equipment and compromising patient safety.
Let’s talk about wipes.
Yes… the universal wipes that everyone relies on.
The ones on every nurse’s cart, every clinical workstation, every bedside.
Because when we tested them against specialised surfaces — particularly stretch‑vinyl health mattresses, comfort chairs, and therapeutic equipment — what we found was alarming.
1. Most universal wipes are not suitable for the surfaces we rely on every day
Modern clinical mattresses aren’t made of stiff PVC anymore.
They’re engineered with two‑way stretch polyurethane‑coated fabrics designed to improve patient comfort, reduce pressure‑injury risk, and meet strict hygiene expectations.
But here’s the kicker:
Many wipe formulas contain chemicals that break down those exact surfaces.
This leads to:
- Micro‑cracks
- Compromised waterproofing
- Fluid ingress
- Hidden contamination
- Premature mattress failure
2. “One wipe per bed” is a myth — the real number needed is shocking
When we compared wipes to Sterri‑Matt:
👉 Most beds required 10+ wipes for proper coverage
👉 Surfaces were being under‑cleaned without staff realising
👉 Wipe moisture inconsistency left high‑risk zones untouched
In environments where HAIs originate from contaminated surfaces, this is not a small problem.
It’s a structural weakness in daily cleaning routines.
3. A specialised surface cleaner outperformed wipes in cost and compliance
Across multiple facilities, Sterri‑Matt delivered undeniable results:
1. Far lower cost per bed
One application covered more than a handful of wipes ever could.
2. Zero surface damage
This matters.
Most mattress suppliers now recommend avoiding wipes on stretch fabrics because of chemical incompatibility.
Sterri‑Matt aligns with the material — not against it.
4. The real question every hospital and aged‑care provider must ask
Are you cleaning surfaces… or gradually destroying them?
Because the cost of the wrong product isn’t just financial.
It’s:
- Avoidable failures
- Bed downtime
- Increased HAI risk
- Surface‑integrity breaches
- Staff frustration
- Audit exposure
In high‑risk environments, surface cleaning isn’t a routine task.
It’s a clinical risk decision.
5. The future of infection control is material‑safe, consistent, and evidence‑driven
Healthcare has outgrown “one wipe fits all.”
Teams are moving toward:
✔ Material‑safe chemistry
✔ Consistent, repeatable coverage
✔ Products designed for clinical surfaces
✔ Reduced variability in cleaning outcomes
And this is exactly why Innovate Care is driving infection‑control improvement by partnering with Sterri‑Matt.
Together, we’re helping hospitals and aged care facilities:
- Protect expensive surfaces
- Eliminate avoidable failures
- Improve audit performance
- Reduce consumable waste
- Strengthen day‑to‑day infection‑control reliability
Because “routine cleaning” should never quietly undermine safety.
The industry is moving fast. And Innovate Care is helping lead that shift.
Not by offering “another cleaner” —
but by championing a product that protects surfaces, budgets, and above all, patients.
Sterri‑Matt isn’t just an upgrade.
It’s the fix for a problem most people don’t even see happening.