What Are Microban’s Antimicrobial Chemicals?

This is a look at what chemicals are used when Microban is listed as the antimicrobial on a building material or household product.

Microban could be six different chemicals incorporated into household items according to their website.

Note I’m not covering cleaning products, isolated disinfectant sprays, or industrial products.

You often see Microban listed as the antimicrobial in flooring, countertops, stone sealers, and paints.

Microban no longer offers triclosan (source).

Microban Antimicrobial Chemicals

1. Silver ion – this is the Microban chemical I see most often in consumer products.

It’s a non-nano silver ion used in polymers, coatings like powder-coated door handles, paints, light switches, bed rails, grout, flooring, food storage containers, home textiles like bedding and hospital gowns, water tanks, and dishwashers.

“The antimicrobial active ingredient generally used in paints and coatings is silver ion — it’s well proven, offers excellent efficacy, and is suitable for use in all types of paints and coatings in a wide range of applications.” Jennifer Collier, Partner Development Manager of BioCote. https://www.pcimag.com/articles/108968-antimicrobial-paints-and-coatings

2. Quat-silane–based antimicrobial for polyurethane foam and coatings. 

3. “Ascera” is a chemical that is not revealed – they say it’s similar to acids found in nature, used in solvent-based coatings/paints and in plastics.

Microban specifically holds a patent for a benzoic acid + terephthalic acid or quat silane antimicrobial for textiles (based on it being for textiles, it may not be Ascera).

Some natural acids used as antifungals in paints include Benzoic acid, Sorbic acid, Potassium Sorbate, Pimaric Acids, and p-Hydroxybenzoic acid esters (parabens).

4. Sodium-pyrithione used in water-based coatings.

5. Zinc pyrithione is a common preservative in paint, also used in other coatings, textiles, polymer products, artificial turf, caulks and sealants, and cement.

6. “MicroGuard”, this Microban chemical is not revealed, and there are no hints as to what it could be, apart from the fact that it is not a metal.

This is recommended for many applications, including roofing membranes, car seating, decking, mattresses, luxury vinyl tiling (LVT), wallcoverings, upholstery, and awnings. It is integrated into PVC, PU, and EVA. 

Some known antimicrobials used in luxury vinyl tile/plank include: Poly hexamethylenediamine guanidine hydrochloride (PHMG), Nisin or Triclosan, silver (the most commonly used antibacterial agent) (source), Phenylthiourea derivatives, Copper and Cadmium complexes derived from thiourea compounds, zinc, zeolite (source), Peptides and cationic compounds, ionic liquids, especially those containing imidazolium cations with long alkyl chains, ionic liquids, HdmimDMSIP and OOMmimPF6 (source).

That doesn’t mean that MicroGuard is one of these chemicals on the list.

7. “UltraFresh“

Microban also acquired UltraFresh.

Based on a 2013 SDS from Thompson Research Associates, the company that owned Ultra-Fresh before Microban bought it, it is an isothiazolinone (or was in 2013).

For a review of the toxicity of each of these chemicals see this post.

Corinne Segura is an InterNACHI-certified Healthy Homes Inspector with certifications in Building Biology, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, and more. She has 10 years of experience helping others create healthy homes. You can book a consult here.