Currently, there is no common definition for the remanent (from Latin remanere = to stay behind, remain) or residual effect of disinfectants.
When an active substance remains on the skin after the exposure time and is active there for a longer period of time, the substance has a remanent effect (see figure). Such ingredients usually achieve a less initial reduction than alcohols and are therefore often combined with fast-acting alcohols.
Current established standard methods cannot determine the effect a remanent ingredient has on the regrowing resident skin flora or new transient microorganisms.
