What is it

Why do we need SilverGuard, Why do we need Antimicrobials ?

SilverGuard Products was formed in 2006 following a lengthy period of research and development to produce a durable antimicrobial treatment for clothing and textiles, which could be simply sprayed onto fabric or added into the washing machine. Silver ion technology provided us with the answer and ultimately with a product that delivers proven and tangible benefits to the public and commercial consumer, cost effectively and safely. SilverGuard is a patented silver chloride based chemistry carried in liquid suspension upon a titanium dioxide carrier that lodges itself into the fabric construction and delivers microbe killing silver ions on a virtually infinite basis.

We have all read the stories of nurses travelling to and from work in dirty (infected) uniforms, the stories of kitchen staff wearing the same clothes to and from the toilet and the kitchen, the hospital or hotel turning the sheets (top to toe) if not visibly soiled, the stories of MRSA, C-diff and other superbugs that can survive and be spread via sheets and towels. We are now even starting to hear stories about the spread of community acquired MRSA via towels, bars of soap, equipment and lockers in the gym and school. Unfortunately these stories are becoming a daily occurrence and will continue to do so as long as the people in power continue to delude themselves that cross contamination risk via clothing and textiles is merely a “perceived” risk which does not constitute a real hazard. With the ever increasing fashion to reduce one’s carbon footprint we will start to see increased bacterial contamination of textiles as wash temperatures are reduced to as low as 30 degrees.

Apparently the public, patients and hospital visitors “wrongly” consider clean clothing, uniforms and textiles to be a significant factor in good hygienic practice that might lead to lower infection rates. This intellectual gulf between the public’s common sense observation and the department of healths “expert opinion” is down to the fact that no-one has been bothered enough to prove, disprove or write any meaningful research papers on whether or not bacteria can be spread from a piece of fabric even though every hospital trust in the country admit that nurses should not travel outside of the hospital environment in an uncovered uniform! SilverGuard can honestly say that it has offered to supply product and a microbiologist free of charge (on more than one occasion) to the NHS to conduct these trials but alas has been told to go away as there is no evidence that silver ion laundry additives will reduce infection.

We have put together a collection of files and independent test reports on our “Fact File” page for you to download. These reports strongly support our conviction that SilverGuard antimicrobial laundry sanitiser and wash additive is an important, if not essential, second line of defense against bacterial infection. We are often asked whether or not our product contributes to the problem of “over sanitisation” of our environment to which our response is most definitely No. Silverguard will kill antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria that if left unchecked Will kill you! silver ion technology has not been shown to create any resistant build up in bacteria and has been proven over centuries to maintain a safe and hygienic balance with nature.

There are three very good reasons why we need antimicrobials:- To help prevent Healthcare Infection, Food hygiene Infection and Community Acquired Infection

HEALTH — protection of patients, staff and visitors in hospitals etc.

Over recent years there has been an increasing concern over Healthcare Acquired infectons (HAI’s). These infections are caused by a wide range of bacteria.There is particular concern about the number of cases of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This is a strain of Staphylococcus aureus which has built up resistance to Methicillin-the strongest type of Penicillin available.

In the U.K, deaths from MRSA are reported to be around 5,000 per year, and the cost to the National Health Service (NHS) is some £1 Billion per annum. MRSA is a very real and growing problem in hospitals, nursing homes and the wider community such as kitchens, schools, gyms and sports facilities.

It has also been shown that bacteria such as MRSA can survive for up to 38 weeks or even longer on contaminated surfaces.

FOOD & HYGIENE — avoiding infection and body odour.

Bacteria are very easily spread from surface to surface by hand contact and other methods. This is particularly relevant to food preparation areas where a large number of potentially lethal bacteria can be present such as Salmonella, E-coli etc.

In the field of hygiene, antimicrobials are used to protect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa which is an odour causing bacterium.

Antimicrobials are also used to combat the growth of fungi, yeasts and moulds.

COMMUNITY — schools, sports and the home.

The association between lack of hand hygiene and the transfer of infection in hospital has long been established. In contrast the role of hands in the transfer of community-acquired infections is less well appreciated both by health professionals and members of the public. There is evidence to suggest that many community-acquired infections are disseminated by contact.

Studies show that clothing such as uniforms are frequently contaminated by disease-causing bacteria, including Staphylococcus Aureus, Clostridium difficile, and glycopeptide-resistant enterococci (GRE), which presents a potential source of cross infection. Maximum contamination occurs in areas of greatest hand contact such as pockets and cuffs.

It is, therefore, prudent to protect, wherever possible, clothing that may be worn when there is a risk of minor cuts and bruises such as when playing sports, cycling, gardening and riding etc.

 

OLD TECHNOLOGY.

Over the last 20-30 years a large number of synthetic organic chemicals have been used in the fight against bacteria. These types of products work by destroying the bacterial cell membrane and “killing” the bacteria. Over a period of time however, bacteria have mutated and the slight changes in their structure now effectively protect them against these chemicals. These chemicals are also now being found widely distributed in the environment, and there are many countries in the world which are beginning to prohibit their use.

 

WHY USE SILVER ?

Silver has been used as an antibacterial agent for more than 2000 years, but it’s mode of action has only been understood during the last few decades.

Silver is a multifunctional antibacterial agent acting in the following ways:

1. Bacterial uptake of Silver ions (Ag+) occurs by several mechanisms, including passive diffusion and active transport by systems that normally transport essential ions, causing disruptions in the cellular membrane function.
2. Silver ions target the cellular thiol (-SH) groups, commonly found in critical proteins called enzymes. Enzymes become denatured because of conformational changes in the molecule that result from silver ion binding.Many of the enzymes that silver ions denature are necessary in the cellular generation of energy. If the energy source of the cell is incapacitated, the cell cannot maintain osmotic pressure, necessary substances leak out of the cell and the microbe will quickly die.
3. Silver ions react with the base pairs of DNA, preventing DNA replication.

SilverGuard provides 24/7 protection.

Simple to use, by just adding to the rinse additive or fabric conditioner compartment of your washing machine, SilverGuard provides that all important second line of defence in the battle against cross contamination and infection.

SilverGuard has been successfully tested on old and new clothing, bedding, uniform textiles and footwear.

SilverGuard compliments regular cleaning and provides 24 hour / 7 days a week protection

A SilverGuard protected uniform or textile compared to a non SilverGuard protected uniform or textile has been evidenced to show a 95% reduction in bacteria after 2 hours and a 99.9% reduction after 24 hours.