The PerfectCLEAN Post

QUICKfoam-5: Neutralizing The Hidden Reservoir Driving Healthcare-Associated Infections

Sink drains are among the most overlooked—and riskiest—environmental reservoirs inside patient care zones. Biofilm accumulates inside P-traps and drain lines, allowing a wide range of bacterial, viral and fungal pathogens to survive routine environmental cleaning and resist antimicrobials and disinfectants, and in many
cases, biofilms are impossible to penetrate.

When water hits a contaminated drain, biofilm fragments and microorganisms can aerosolize and disperse onto nearby surfaces, equipment, and even patient-care items.

As infection prevention teams nationwide continue reevaluating their strategies, SHEA/APIC guidance has further elevated drains to a critical infection-control priority, recommending:

“…consider disinfection of sink drains using an EPA-registered disinfectant with claims against biofilms …”

This recommendation is a clear acknowledgment of the long-standing challenge: most chemistries cannot penetrate or remove biofilm, and most facilities lack a system capable of consistently treating drains at scale.

The Problem: Biofilm, Steno, and the Operational Gap

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a gram-negative, biofilm-forming organism that is highly antibiotic-resistant and increasingly linked to serious HAIs, including pneumonia and bloodstream infections. It thrives inside moist, nutrient-rich drain lines.

During a KLORESE product trial at a major IDN, the CDC had been investigating a multi-year cluster of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infections in the ICU and trauma units. The reservoir was ultimately traced to biofilm inside sink drains.

Facilities had no practical way to fully reach or disinfect this biofilm layer.

This created an urgent clinical request for a system that could meet SHEA guidance, overcome drain system architecture, and deliver repeatable results without introducing operational complexity for EVS teams.

‍A Turning Point: The Prototype That Eliminated Steno

Given that KLORESE is one of only three EPA-registered chemistries with kill claims for bacteria in biofilm, the hospital asked if PerfectCLEAN could engineer a system capable of eliminating biofilm, and therefore, Stenotrophomonas in sink drains.

In short order, the UMF/PerfectCLEAN team developed a prototype unit with a 10-gallon reservoir that generated high-density Klorese foam able to completely fill drain pipes and evacuate P-traps in seconds.

Drains were swabbed, plated, and cultured before and after foaming with KLORESE.

Result: QUICKfoam-5 foaming with KLORESE eliminated the Steno, the biofilm, and all other organisms in the sink drains.

This outcome became the foundation for the QUICKfoam-5 system.

The Solution: QUICKfoam-5 + KLORESE

The QUICKfoam-5 is a mobile, 5-gallon, battery-powered, high-density foaming system engineered to help infection prevention and EVS teams meet modern water-management challenges.

Why KLORESE Works

KLORESE is an EPA-registered, neutral-pH cleaner & disinfectant built on hypochlorous acid (HOCl)—the same active ingredient used by the human immune system.

Key attributes include:

• EPA-registered biofilm kill claim
• Rapid antimicrobial activity across C. auris, C. diff (sporicidal in 4 minutes), and all ESKAPE pathogens
• Listed on EPA Lists B, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, and Biofilm
• “Effectively Human” formulation with broad compatibility, no dilution equipment required

KLORESE gives clinical teams confidence that the chemistry being delivered into drains has the regulatory backing required by SHEA, CDC, and APIC recommendations.

Why QUICKfoam-5 Delivers

The QUICKfoam-5 system is specifically designed for sink and floor drains, tiled surfaces, and hard-to-reach environmental surfaces:

• High-density foam clings to vertical and horizontal surfaces inside drains
• Battery-powered, cord-free operation supports enterprise-scale workflows
• Quick-Connect accessories for sinks, floor drains, and surface foaming
• Retractable handle & portability allowing EVS and clinical teams to move
• from room-to-room with little effort
  

The combination of biofilm-penetrating chemistry and complete drain-filling foam allows facilities to treat a hospital-wide network of sinks and drains with consistency, something traditional liquid disinfectants simply cannot achieve.

Aligning With SHEA, CDC, and APIC Guidance

QUICKfoam-5 directly supports evolving infection prevention expectations:

• SHEA: Enables disinfection of sink drains using an EPA-registered chemistry with biofilm claims
• CDC: Addresses splash-risk, cross-contamination pathways, and sink-related outbreaks
• APIC & IDSA: Supports water management initiatives and environmental hygiene standards

As water-associated infections rise and outbreaks increasingly trace back to drains, the ability to proactively treat these environments is becoming essential to risk reduction.

Operational Advantages for EVS Teams

While the clinical impact is clear, the system was designed with EVS workflows in mind:

• Intuitive battery operation
• No electrical cords in patient-care spaces
• Portable, durable, and easy to maneuver
• High-density foam reduces variability in application
• Surface foaming spray nozzle expands utility

This operational simplicity ensures enterprise-wide consistency—allowing facilities to implement drain disinfection protocols that are both clinically effective, proactive, and logistically realistic.

Biofilm contamination of sink drains represents a real and rising threat inside healthcare facilities. The QUICKfoam-5 system, powered by the proven efficacy of KLORESE, gives infection prevention and EVS teams an evidence-based, guidance-aligned, and operationally scalable method to proactively mitigate this risk.

It’s a clinically sound step toward safer environments for patients, staff, and visitors.

Ready to strengthen your facility’s drain disinfection program?

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