These days, stores can’t seem to keep disinfecting wipes on the shelves. Clorox wipes and Lysol wipes are known and trusted wipes that kill virus and bacteria from surfaces so they fly off store shelves almost as soon as they are stocked. We’ve noticed some other wipes are in stock: Bacteriostatic wipes. What are they and do they work against coronavirus Covid-19?

In a recent check at a Costco, two pallets of Clorox wipes sold out in less than an hour. But around the corner was a plentiful display of a new brand of wipes we’ve never seen before: Allclear Sanitizing wipes. We then checked a nearby Target store to find the same phenomenon. Clorox and Lysol wipes completely sold out yet several new brands of “sanitizing wipes” have popped up to fill their empty spaces on the shelves.

We found these new brands of wipes curious so we picked up a package to do some research.

Guess what? Bacteriostatic wipes do not kill coronavirus Covid 19 or any other virus. According to the Collins dictionary, if something is bacteriostatic, it inhibits the growth and reproduction of bacteria, not viruses. (As you know, Covid 19 is a virus.) According to the Collins definition something that is bacteriostatic doesn’t even kill bacteria, only keeps it from growing and reproducing. So it is surprising that the package we purchased claims the product “kills 99.99% of bacteria.” (By the way the package also says the word bacteriostatic is a noun but it is actually an adjective.)

So what good are bacteriostatic sanitizing wipes?

We asked two registered nurses who agreed that when it comes to fighting coronavirus Covid 19, bacteriostatic wipes are useless. But you can use them to wipe down your kitchen after you cook chicken to prevent the spread of salmonella or other bacteria.