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What is the difference between antimicrobial treatment and antibacterial finishing?

 

What is the difference between antimicrobial treatment and antibacterial finishing?
Antimicrobial and deodorizing fabrics :
As the name suggests, antimicrobial and deodorizing fabrics refer to fabrics that have the ability to resist bacteria and odors. To endow fiber products with antimicrobial and deodorizing effects, antimicrobial agents are mixed into the yarn during processing, or applied to the fabric during post-processing.

What is the difference between antibacterial and bacteriostatic?

Some people may think that "antibacterial" and "bacteriostatic" are the same thing, but in textile products, there is a clear definition between the two.

Antibacterial：
Easily confused with bacteriostatic and bactericidal, but with different definitions that need to be carefully considered. Antibacterial agents do not kill bacteria, so they do not kill normal skin bacteria. They inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, the main cause of odor, and have deodorizing effects. According to the JIS standard (Japanese Industrial Standard), a product has antibacterial properties if its bacterial growth rate is 1/100 or less compared to that of an untreated surface (with an antibacterial activity value of 2 or higher). 

Tests are available to confirm the antibacterial effect of a product.

Application of antibacterial and deodorizing treatments:

As an antibacterial agent that inhibits odor, it is used in the following materials.

Bacteriostasis (bacterial inhibition)：
Refers to the suppression of bacterial growth. It's similar to antibacterial, but the subtle difference lies in the fact that antibacterial doesn't necessarily control odor. Bacteriostasis can be either general or specific. 

Specific bacteriostasis is required for medical facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes, and requires more bacterial inhibition than general bacteriostasis. In addition to the two main strains of bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, three types of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) are also essential targets for specific medical applications. 

While not essential, bacteria that cause odor and physical burdens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Moraxella can also be targeted. 

Applications of bacteriostasis treatment：
Bacteriostasis targets more types of bacteria than just Staphylococcus aureus. Bacteriostasis is more widely used than antibacterial, as it can suppress the growth of various odors and pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, which causes odor.




What is the difference between "sterilization," "disinfection," and "sanitization"?

"Sterilization," "disinfection," and "sanitization" are often confused, but they have the following differences, which set them apart from "antibacterial" and "bacteriostasis":

Sterilization：
Sterilization refers to "killing microorganisms such as bacteria." Its literal meaning is to kill bacteria. Even if not all bacteria are killed, if some are killed, it can still be referred to as sterilization.

"Sterilization" is a term used for disinfectants and medical supplies, but it does not indicate the degree of antibacterial effectiveness. Therefore, even if only a portion of the bacteria is killed, it can still be interpreted as "sterilization."

Disinfection：
Disinfection refers to "thoroughly eliminating microorganisms such as bacteria," which includes the complete eradication of bacteria and is stronger in connotation than sterilization. Some may believe that "sterilization" is a more powerful term, but in reality, reducing the number of bacteria is the most effective antibacterial method.

This term is usually used for treating bacteria on instruments rather than within the body. Additionally, the difference between "sterilization" and "bacteriostasis" is like "sanitization," which means actively reducing the number of bacteria.

Decontamination：
Sanitization refers to removing bacteria from an object or surface, which can be achieved through wiping with a cloth or other material to clean the surface or washing hands with water, meaning to remove microorganisms such as bacteria. As with sterilization, if even a portion of bacteria is removed, it can still be referred to as sanitization. In terms of reducing microorganisms, it has a similar meaning to "sterilization," but the focus is on removing microorganisms from the surface rather than directly killing them. If washing with water can remove bacteria, it can also be called sanitization.

Unlike bacteriostasis, which aims to suppress the growth of bacteria, "sanitization" aims to actively remove bacteria. The purpose of bacteriostasis is to inhibit the growth of bacteria, while "sanitization" is to remove bacteria rather than inhibit it. Although there are various definitions of these terms in different fields, their common characteristic is "reducing the total number of bacteria by removing bacteria."


 
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