Although every environment benefits from a smooth, decorative finish, some areas also need a very specific level of hygiene and anti-bacterial protection. Hospitals, healthcare facilities, medical centres, food factories, nursing homes, laundries, changing rooms, cold-storage, industrial processing areas, GP surgeries, veterinary clinics, and places where food and drink are routinely prepared and consumed all require distinct levels of hygiene control.

Rawlins Paints' range of specialist hygiene paints for walls, floors and ceilings are all developed to include anti-bacterial properties. These hygiene coatings are formulated to be easy to clean, low odour and simple and fast to apply, something that is often important when it comes to timescales for maintenance jobs.

Depending on the stage of the project, we have products ideal for simple redecoration work, a quick upgrade of colour coating or a brand-new installation. Systems are applied in different ways and the level of hygiene needed dictates which product is best for each project. For any assistance or further advice on the products listed on this page, please contact our customer support service.

Hygienic paints aren’t singularly used in sensitive areas, like hospitals and care wards. Many workplaces require durable hygienic coatings for kitchen and food preparations areas, or wash-rooms and toilets. Hygiene control is a key element of caretakers and maintenance workers’ schedules, and having the correct paint system installed – from the primer to its subsequent topcoat – can be cost-effective and time-saving for rigorous cleaning schedules which would benefit from an abrasive resistant surface coating.

Please refer to product datasheets for the suitability of a product’s use on a surface, material or substrate, including:

• • Tiles
• • Plaster
• • Brick
• • Concrete
• • Wood
• • Ceramic tiles
• • Plastic
• • Metallic surfaces
• • Previously painted/emulsion surfaces

Correct installation of a hygienic paint system can:

• • Protect surfaces and substrates against mould, algae and moss-growth
• • Produce an aesthetically sound finish
• • Cohere to specific colour scheme requirements
• • Offer chemical resistance
• • Deliver a germ-free and anti-bacterial area
• • Improve cleaning schedules
• • Offer anti-damp and anti-condensation qualities

Hygiene Primer Coatings

Hygiene topcoats and paints need specialist primer paints to work in tandem with their anti-bacterial properties. Anti-mould hygiene primer 8399 is often requested as a hygiene primer. Made by Rust-Oleum, 8399 Hygienic Primer is specifically formulated to use under Rust-Oleum 8300 Hygienic Topcoat. It protects well against mild chemical exposure, spillages, regular deep cleaning using chemicals, moisture and humidity. It can be used on walls and ceilings making it a good all-round hygiene primer.

Hygienic Wall and Ceiling Paints

Rust-Oleum’s Biosan®

Hygienic paints and coatings are typically pastel colours and light shades. These tranquil colours suit waiting areas in doctors and dentist surgeries, along with hospital wards and respite centres.

Rust-Oleum’s Biosan® hygienic coating range provide a wide range of subtle colour options for areas where hygiene control is essential:

Significant extra hygienic protection is guaranteed with Biosan® Hygiene Coatings for walls, ceilings and floors. Biosan® contains the unique antibacterial agent BACTRON ™, which surrounds and partly penetrates the resin and pigments;

The active ingredient of BACTRON™ has been scientifically proven to kill most types of bacteria, including ‘super bugs’, by a variety of different mechanisms.

Unlike some other biocides and antimicrobial additives BACTRON™ is not classified as harmful to humans. The active ingredient has food contact approval in the USA and EU.

Biosan® with BACTRON™, supported by good housekeeping practices, is the ideal solution for the maintenance of a hygienic environment in areas where cleanliness is of utmost importance, e.g. hospitals, food processing plants, kitchens, dairies, breweries, abattoirs, leisure centres and schools.

Where surfaces are subjected to severe wear or vigorous cleaning, the antibacterial properties of Biosan® are constantly replenished, providing on-going protection against the harmful effects of bacteria throughout the normal service life of the coating.

Biosan® products are formulated using unique modern water based technology. When used in accordance with instructions, Biosan® is entirely safe. All Biosan® products are classified as non-flammable. Most Biosan® products are rated Class 0 surface spread of flame based on BS 476: Part 6 & 7.

Bactericidal action can be quantified and shown graphically. The image on the left of two Petri dishes compares the ‘kill’ rate of Biosan® containing BACTRON™ (blue) with a control (red) when challenged with Staphylococcus aurous. It uses a logarithmic scale to show that Biosan® with BACTRON™ kills 99% of bacteria during the initial 48 hours. After 7 days the bacteria cannot be detected on the BACTRON™ protected sample whereas significant numbers of potentially pathogenic (disease causing) bacteria are still surviving on the unprotected coating.

The unique antimicrobial action of Biosan® has been independently tested and verified by a DEFRA approved laboratory!

Rust-Oleum Biosan® Aqua is available as single packs in three finishes:

• • Matt
• • Satin
• • Gloss

Along with two 2-pack products:

• • Rust-Oleum Biosan® Aqua Plus (water-based) offers exceptional abrasion resistance for walls and ceilings that require strict levels of hygiene control – hospitals, kitchens, dairies, breweries, schools, etc.
• • Rust-Oleum Biosan® Ultra (solvent-free) offers the same hygienic qualities of Aqua Plus, but with increased film build and durability for floor surfaces.

Sikagard Hygiene Range

Sika Reemat Lite is a glass fibre reinforcement mat for use primarily in conjunction with the Sikagard Hygiene range of systems for walls and ceilings to provide increased system strength, crack bridging and longevity. The randomly orientated fibres within the mat give maximum multidirectional tensile strength to the membranes whilst allowing them to remain highly elastomeric. It may be used for total or partial reinforcement and can be easily moulded around protrusions, joints, corners and other surface details.

For environments in need of extra defence against germs and bacteria, Sikagard 403 W is an excellent choice. This waterborne modified acrylic resin coating is very resistant to lots of heavy cleaning, is long lasting and has a seamless finish. Ideal for use in hospitals, surgical rooms and restaurant kitchens.

Replacing the now discontinued Sikagard 205 W (Sterisheen), Sikagard 405 W is a is a single component, waterborne acrylic resin based coating containing an organic in film preservative with a mid-sheen finish. Used on concrete, bricks, cement based and gypsum substrates, metallic surfaces, timber, tiles and plastic. Providing good resistance to repeated cleaning regimes which use mild detergents and cleaning solutions, it is a tough and highly durable coating for pharmaceutical, medical engineering, food and beverage industry, hospitals, healthcare facilities, kitchens and prisons and leisure facilities.

Sikagard 406 W replaces the now discontinued Sikagard 206 W (Sterimatt), and is the matt finish alternative to Sikagard 405 W. The acrylic resin surface coating version is Sikagard 2017 W (Biosheen).

Please check Sikagard product datasheets for all recommended substrates and surfaces for which these hygienic coatings can be used on.