Private Label · Disinfectant
Quat Wipes
We manufacture private label quat wipes — quaternary ammonium surface disinfectants that clean and disinfect in one pass, with low odour and excellent material compatibility. The workhorse of daily surface disinfection, made in the USA for facilities, janitorial brands and healthcare distributors.
CLEANS + DISINFECTS · LOW ODOUR · MATERIAL-SAFE · MADE IN THE USA
Active
Quaternary ammonium (BZK / dual-quat)
Contact time
1–10 minutes by claim
Key strength
Detergency — cleans as it disinfects
Shelf life
24–36 months
How it works
Quaternary ammonium: the disinfectant that also cleans
Quaternary ammonium compounds are cationic surfactants — molecules with a positively charged nitrogen head and a long fatty tail. The charge attracts them to the negatively charged surface of a microbial cell; the tail inserts into the lipid membrane and pulls it apart. Because they are surfactants first and biocides second, quats bring something no other chemistry in this range does: detergency. A quat wipe lifts soil while it disinfects, which is why it dominates daily surface cleaning where a separate clean-then-disinfect step is not realistic.
Modern products use fourth- and fifth-generation dual-quat blends — typically a benzalkonium chloride paired with a didecyl or dioctyl dimethyl ammonium chloride — because blending broadens the spectrum and slows the development of tolerance. Quats are non-corrosive, low-odour, gentle on painted and plastic surfaces, and stable in storage, giving them the longest shelf life of any disinfectant we make.
The limitation is real and worth stating plainly: quats do not kill C. difficile spores, and they are unreliable against non-enveloped viruses such as norovirus. They are also inactivated by anionic detergents and by hard water, and heavy organic soil load reduces their effect. A facility that runs quats for daily work still needs an oxidiser — bleach or hydrogen peroxide — on standby for outbreaks.
At a glance
✓Dual-quat blends for broader spectrum
✓Cleans and disinfects in a single pass
✓Non-corrosive — safe on painted and plastic surfaces
✓Lowest odour of any surface disinfectant we make
✓Longest shelf life: up to 36 months
Not for: C. difficile spores or norovirus. Inactivated by anionic detergents and hard water.
Applications
Where quat wipes are used
The default choice for routine, high-frequency surface disinfection — which makes it the highest-volume disinfectant line most distributors carry.
01
Patient rooms & exam surfaces
Exam tables, bed rails, overbed tables, chairs and door handles between patients — the daily-turnover work that makes up most disinfection by volume.
02
Shared medical equipment
Wheelchairs, IV poles, mobile carts, keyboards and workstation-on-wheels surfaces, where a non-corrosive chemistry protects the asset.
03
Long-term care & residential
Communal surfaces in care homes and assisted living, where low odour matters to residents and a rinse step will not happen.
04
Gyms, studios & fitness
Equipment wipe-down stations — the detergency handles sweat and body oils that a pure disinfectant would just spread around.
05
Offices, retail & hospitality
Desks, counters, POS terminals, tray tables and lift buttons; the highest-volume commercial application of quat wipes.
06
Childcare & education
Tables, toys and high-touch surfaces where non-corrosive, low-odour chemistry and a single-step process are requirements.
Specifications
Quat wipe specifications
Quats are the most configurable disinfectant we make — active blend, concentration, wipe size and substrate all move independently.
| Active ingredients | Benzalkonium chloride and/or dual-quat blend |
|---|---|
| Typical concentration | 0.1% – 0.5% total quat, claim-dependent |
| Generation | 4th / 5th-generation dual-quat blends |
| Substrate | Nonwoven, 45–75 gsm, high wet strength |
| Standard wipe sizes | 6″ × 7″ · 7″ × 8″ · 8″ × 10″ · 12″ × 12″ |
| Saturation | 3–8 g solution per wipe by size |
| Contact time | 1–10 minutes depending on registered claim |
| Efficacy | Bactericidal, fungicidal, virucidal (enveloped) |
| Not effective against | C. difficile spores; non-enveloped viruses |
| Material compatibility | Excellent — non-corrosive, non-bleaching |
| Shelf life | 24–36 months unopened |
| Registration | EPA registration supported for disinfectant claims |
Packaging formats
- Canister75 / 100 / 160 / 220 wipes
- Softpack80–120 wipes, flip-top
- Bucket refill600–800 wipe roll
- Single sachet1 wipe, individually wrapped
- Flow-wrap strip10 or 20-wipe strip
- Bulk caseCustom count, master-carton labelled
The bucket-refill roll format is what facility contracts are usually won on — highest wipes-per-dollar and lowest packaging weight. Ask us to quote it alongside your canister spec.
Comparison
Quat vs. the other medical wipe chemistries
Quats win on cost, odour, material safety and shelf life. They lose on spores and non-enveloped viruses. Both halves of that sentence matter when you build a range.
| Product | Active ingredient | Kill spectrum | Best for | Applied to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Wipes | 70% isopropyl alcohol | Bacteria, fungi, enveloped viruses. Not sporicidal | Fast skin prep before injections & blood draws | Skin + device |
| Chlorhexidine Wipes | 2–4% chlorhexidine gluconate | Broad antibacterial with persistent residual action | Pre-surgical bathing & catheter site prep | Skin only |
| Iodine Wipes | 10% povidone-iodine | Broadest: bacteria, viruses, fungi, spores | Pre-surgical prep where visible coverage matters | Skin only |
| Hydrogen Peroxide Wipes | 0.5–1.4% hydrogen peroxide | Bacteria, viruses incl. norovirus; sporicidal at higher levels | Residue-free surface disinfection near patients | Surface |
| Quat WipesThis page | Quaternary ammonium (BZK/dual-quat) | Bacteria, enveloped viruses. Not C. diff or norovirus | Routine daily surface disinfection, low odour | Surface |
| Bleach Wipes | 0.55% sodium hypochlorite | Everything incl. C. difficile spores & norovirus | Outbreak response & terminal cleaning | Surface |
| Dry Sterile Wipes | None — sterile substrate only | Sterile (SAL 10⁻⁶); you choose the solution | Wound care with your own sterile solution | Skin + wound |
| No-Rinse Bathing Wipes | pH-balanced surfactant + emollients | Cleansing (CHG 2% version available) | Full-body bathing without water or basin | Skin only |
Private Label & OEM
The volume line in a private label disinfectant range
If you are building a disinfectant brand, quat wipes are where the volume and the margin sit. The chemistry is stable, the shelf life is long, the material compatibility means fewer complaints, and the format range runs from a single travel sachet to an 800-wipe bucket refill. We manufacture in the USA and can support your EPA registration or supply under an existing one.
✓Dual-quat blend and concentration set to your claim list
✓EPA registration support or supply under existing registration
✓Canister, softpack, bucket-refill and sachet from one line
✓Fragrance and fragrance-free versions
✓Private label artwork with claim panel and dwell-time table
FAQ
Quat wipes FAQ
What are quaternary ammonium compounds?
Quats are cationic surfactants used as disinfectants. Their positively charged nitrogen head is attracted to the negatively charged surface of bacteria and fungi, and their fatty tail then disrupts the cell membrane. Because they are surfactants, they also have detergency — they lift soil as they disinfect, which is why they are the standard chemistry for single-step daily surface cleaning.
Do quat wipes kill C. difficile or norovirus?
No. This is the one thing to be clear about with quats. They have no meaningful activity against C. difficile spores and are unreliable against non-enveloped viruses like norovirus. If either is on your risk list you need an oxidising chemistry alongside them — sodium hypochlorite or accelerated hydrogen peroxide. Any supplier who tells you otherwise is selling you a problem.
What is a dual-quat or fifth-generation quat?
A blend of two or more quaternary ammonium compounds — commonly a benzalkonium chloride with a didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride. Blending broadens the antimicrobial spectrum, improves performance in hard water, and reduces the risk of bacterial tolerance developing to a single compound. Nearly all professional-grade quat wipes are now blends.
Why do quat wipes need a specific contact time?
The registered claim is only valid if the surface stays visibly wet for the stated dwell time — typically one to ten minutes depending on the organism. On a warm surface a small wipe can dry in under a minute, which invalidates the claim. This is why saturation level and wipe size are part of the efficacy spec, not just the user experience.
Do quat wipes leave a residue?
A light one, yes. Quats are surfactants and leave a thin film as the surface dries. On most hard surfaces this is harmless and even slightly beneficial, but it can build up on glass, screens and membrane keypads over time. Where that matters, our hydrogen peroxide wipes leave nothing behind.
Can you make quat wipes without fragrance?
Yes, and for healthcare and long-term care we usually recommend it. Fragrance-free formulations avoid complaints in occupied rooms and from staff with sensitivities, while keeping the same actives and claims. We produce both fragranced and fragrance-free from the same base.
Other disinfectant wipes we make
A complete facility programme normally pairs a quat for daily work with an oxidiser for outbreaks.
Disinfectant
Hydrogen Peroxide Wipes
Residue-free and effective against norovirus — the gap in the quat spectrum.
View details →
Disinfectant
Bleach Wipes
Sporicidal outbreak response for C. difficile and terminal cleaning.
View details →
Patient Care
No-Rinse Bathing Wipes
For skin rather than surfaces — full-body patient cleansing without water.
View details →
Quote your quat wipe programme
From a 10-wipe travel strip to an 800-wipe bucket refill — US-made, your blend, your artwork, your claims.