In our industry we regularly hear the term 'probiotic cleaners'. But… that term is not recommended by various authorities. What is a better name then? “Microbiological cleaning agents”, says Laurens Metternich, CEO at Spectro. But what are they exactly? And how do you use them sustainably?

To get straight to the point: microbiological cleaning agents are agents with positive micro-organisms. According to Laurens, these can best be seen as 'microscopic cleaners' that are deliberately added during the production process. With the aim: a longer and deeper effect of the product.

“Cleaning agents with positive micro-organisms are functional, provided you use them sustainably,” he explains. “That is to say: according to the right dosage and under the right circumstances. Unfortunately, especially the latter is not happening enough. The addition of positive micro-organisms sounds good. But in quite a few environments, microbiological cleaning agents do not pay off at all.”

Sanitary areas

Laurens explains that positive micro-organisms only survive in detergents around a neutral PH value. “And they work best on surfaces that are porous. Think of walls, floors and joints in sanitary areas with many 'sloppy' users, such as at petrol stations or at schools. There, urine and other organic contaminants penetrate the surface. You can tackle that with microbiological cleaning agents. The positive micro-organisms break down the contaminants for a long time. The result: spaces that stay fresh for much longer.”

“In quite a few environments, microbiological ones pay off
detergents at all”

Durable

Sustainability is central to Spectro's business operations. And so Laurens is very annoyed by the misunderstandings that exist about microbiological cleaning agents. “It is unnecessary to add positive micro-organisms to every cleaning agent,” says the CEO. “In addition, the ingredients are quite expensive. In short: sin in every respect.”

Development

By the way, microbiological cleaning agents are not new. In fact, Spectro has been producing them for twenty years. Laurens: “Of course that doesn't mean that we use the old recipe. On the contrary: we are constantly working on the development of our products, such as the Ecodos Washroom Cleaner Bio. This super-concentrated sanitary cleaner with positive micro-organisms has a European Ecolabel: one of the best-known environmental certifications in the world.”

The ingredients themselves also continue to evolve, Laurens concludes. “We now use positive micro-organisms that work faster than a few years ago. And we recently discovered that they work even better and longer in combination with the right preservation. Talk about sustainable!”

Interesting microbiological cleaners from Spectro:
- Spectro Washroom Cleaner Bio
- Spectro BioCleaner
- Ecodos Washroom Cleaner Bio | Dosage bottle
- Ecodos Washroom Cleaner Bio | Easy