The use of biological cleaning products has been increasing in South Africa in the last ten years as more users are becoming aware of the environmental impact of traditional chemical cleaners and, thus, are demanding greener alternatives.

The growth of biological cleaning products in South Africa, which originated in the US and Europe, mirrors the global trend towards using sustainable cleaning solutions that are safe for people and the environment and offer the same, if not superior, cleaning results to traditional chemical cleaning products.

Enzymes have been used for decades in household detergents and industrial cleaners, mainly for protein stain removal, but are currently used more frequently in cleaning-in-place applications and ultrafiltration membrane cleaning products, as well as in surgical instrument cleaners.

Enzymes have been used for decades in household detergents and industrial cleaners, mainly for protein stain removal, but are currently used more frequently in cleaning-in-place applications and ultrafiltration membrane cleaning products, as well as in surgical instrument cleaners. Enzymes are also being included in manual dishwashing liquids.

Biological cleaning products do not only clean surfaces, but the bacterial cultures contained in these products also break down contaminants on a microscopic level and continue to work long after the chemical products have been removed through rinsing the surface.

The way in which biological cleaning solu- tions work depends on the microbes or enzymes used in the cleaning formulation, as the microbes produce enzymes on site, depending on the contaminant present.

“The enzymes that are produced when applied are highly specific in their action and will act only on specific substrates, such as proteins, fats or grease, cellulose, starch and petrochemicals