FAQ

Nitrile gloves are chemical-resistant, tear-resistant and ideal for people with allergies. They are considered the safest choice for situations requiring a high level of protection, such as in the medical sector, in laboratories or in industrial production.

Nitrile, vinyl and PE gloves are free from latex proteins and can be used safely by people with a latex allergy.

PE and vinyl gloves are inexpensive and ideal for tasks that require frequent changing and offer low levels of protection.

Latex gloves are highly elastic and mould perfectly to the shape of the hand.

Most of our disposable gloves are available in the standard sizes S, M, L and XL. Some products are also available in XS and XXL.

Sterile gloves are generally only necessary during medical procedures or in sterile environments, as these situations carry a high risk of infection. For most applications, non-sterile disposable gloves are perfectly adequate.

The disinfection of disposable gloves in the healthcare sector is a controversial issue. In most cases, disposable gloves must be changed. According to the Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention (KRINKO) at the Robert Koch Institute, gloves may be disinfected in certain exceptional cases where changing disposable gloves is difficult to implement. These include, for example:

• Routine procedures carried out on the same patient.
• Blood samples taken one after the other from different patients, where further contamination is ruled out.

Disposable gloves should always be worn whenever your hands might come into contact with harmful substances. For example, they protect your hands from:

• Blood
• Excreta
• Contaminated objects/surfaces
• Engine oil
• Chemicals
• Grease
• Humidity

A box of gloves usually contains 100 non-sterile disposable gloves.

If disposable gloves are particularly thick, some are packed in boxes containing only 50 gloves. This is the case, for example, with the blue MaiMed Nitril ST PF nitrile gloves and the MaiMed ChemGuard nitrile gloves.

Sterile gloves are always packed in pairs in sterile pouches. The number of pairs per box varies.

We offer volume discounts on most of our products. By ordering full packs in larger quantities, you can save money.

Please also feel free to ask our team for a bespoke quote if you are interested in purchasing by the pallet.

As disposable gloves may be contaminated or have come into contact with blood or similar substances, they should not be placed in the recycling bin. Consequently, they do not belong in the yellow bag, but in the general waste bin.

In order for a disposable glove to be used in the medical sector – and therefore also in a first-aid kit – it must comply with European Standard 455 (EN 455).

A first-aid kit must contain at least 4 disposable gloves (= 2 pairs).

Disposable gloves at petrol stations protect hands from direct contact with fuel and oil. As they are only worn for short periods, we recommend using inexpensive PE gloves for this purpose.

Thanks to their oil resistance, they offer good protection in this context.

Nitrile gloves are the standard in food processing. They are tear-resistant and resistant to grease and oil, making them the best choice.

Gloves made of polyethylene (PE/TPE) are also suitable. They are very inexpensive and food-safe, and perfect for short-term use, e.g. at the salad bar or in the bakery.

Latex or vinyl gloves should generally only come into contact with non-fatty foods and are therefore only recommended for this purpose to a limited extent.

As gloves are likely to come into contact with food in the catering industry, we recommend using nitrile gloves for this purpose.

For use in the care sector, we recommend both nitrile and vinyl gloves.

Nitrile gloves are latex-free and therefore ideal for people with allergies. They have the advantage of being grease-resistant, meaning they can be worn without any problems even when in contact with, for example, skin lotions.

Vinyl gloves are very soft and have a smooth surface. This makes them particularly well-suited for washing tasks, as they feel pleasantly soft against the skin.

Disposable gloves with long cuffs protect not only the hands but also the forearms. They are used when there is a risk of contamination, splashes or contact with hazardous substances that extend beyond the hands.

The main areas of application are medicine, healthcare, laboratories, industry and cleaning.

Disposable gloves with extra grip are used wherever a firm grip and good hold are essential. This is the case, for example, in workshops, laboratories, the chemical industry and dental practices.

We are happy to tailor the delivery options to your requirements. Please contact our representatives directly.

Yes, you can. Our staff will be happy to help you.

The contact time should absolutely be observed during disinfection, as the tested efficacy of a disinfectant is only achieved under these conditions. When using, pay attention to two decisive factors:

• Complete wetting: The entire surface or the hands must be completely covered with the product
• Keeping moist: In the case of fast‑evaporating solutions, it must be ensured that the surface remains moist during the entire contact time

The use of disinfectants in the food sector is possible, provided that the product has HACCP certification. For surfaces with food contact, rinsing with potable water is often required after the contact time. Information can be found in the product description or in the technical data sheet.

For professional use in gastronomy and in food businesses, special odour‑neutral preparations such as the rapid disinfectant MaiMed^® MyClean DS Neutral are suitable, which have the corresponding approvals.

The difference between disinfectant wipes and concentrates lies in the type of application and the cost:

Disinfectant concentrates are economical for larger quantities, but must be dosed correctly. They are mainly used in the cost‑effective disinfection of large floor areas (e.g. in hospitals and care homes). A proven practical example for this is the concentrate MaiMed^® MyClean FD.

Ready‑to‑use disinfectant wipes (wipes) are ideal for quick interim disinfection and for mobile care use. They require correct wetting and the observance of the contact times. For this quick application in practice, pre‑prepared solutions such as the MaiMed^® MyClean DUO Flowpack disinfectant wipes are suitable.

Disinfectants that are effective against viruses are those that have been tested according to the European standard EN 14476. The following spectra of activity are distinguished:

• Limited virucidal inactivates enveloped viruses (e.g. HIV as well as hepatitis B/C)
• Limited virucidal PLUS inactivates enveloped viruses as well as selected non‑enveloped viruses, noroviruses, rotaviruses and adenoviruses
• Virucidal inactivates all enveloped as well as non‑enveloped viruses (e.g. SV‑40 or polyomaviruses)

In practice, highly developed products such as the alcohol‑based rapid disinfection wipes MaiMed^® MyClean DS ViruComplete fully cover the virucidal spectrum in accordance with EN 14476, while the MyClean DS product series as standard covers the protection range Limited virucidal PLUS.

Disinfectants with bactericidal and virucidal efficacy should be used for gastrointestinal infections, as both bacterial pathogens and highly contagious viruses such as rotaviruses or noroviruses may be involved. Products with “virucidal” or “limited virucidal PLUS” according to EN 14476 should be selected in order to ensure comprehensive hygiene.

For the rapid interruption of chains of infection in care, hospital and practice, specialised solutions are used: For hand disinfection, the ready‑to‑use MaiMed^® MyClean HB Gel is suitable (effective against noro‑ and adenoviruses). For the subsequent disinfection of sensitive surfaces, an alcohol‑free surface disinfectant such as MaiMed^® MyClean DS OA is recommended.

Surface disinfection and hand disinfection differ clearly in composition and application:

• Hand disinfection is designed for skin compatibility and rapid efficacy according to EN 1500
• Surface disinfection is formulated for inanimate materials and surfaces and may have other active substances, dosages and contact times

Professional manufacturers such as MaiMed therefore offer specifically coordinated products for hand disinfection and surface disinfection.

Depending on the field of application, disinfectants need to comply with different EN standards to prove their efficacy. The key standards at a glance:

• EN 14476 – testing of virucidal efficacy (limited virucidal, limited virucidal PLUS, virucidal)
• EN 13727 – bactericidal efficacy in the medical field
• EN 1276 – bactericidal efficacy in the food and industrial field
• EN 13624 – fungicidal and yeasticidal efficacy in the medical field
• EN 1650 – fungicidal efficacy in the food and industrial field
• EN 13704 – sporicidal efficacy in the food, industrial and public field
• EN 1500 – hygienic hand disinfection
• EN 12791 – surgical hand disinfection
• EN 13697 – bactericidal and fungal efficacy on non‑porous surfaces
• EN 16615 – wipe disinfection (4‑field test)

If the priority is particularly gentle skin application or maximum material compatibility (e.g., for ultrasound probes, acrylic glass, or artificial leather treatment couches), alcohol‑free disinfectants are used. These products usually feature excellent residual effects, however they demand exact compliance with the specified contact times.

As practice‑proven solutions without alcohol, for example in medical and care applications, the skin‑friendly hand disinfection and hand decontamination MaiMed^® MyClean HB OA (with aloe vera) as well as the ready‑to‑use MaiMed^® MyClean DS OA Flowpack disinfectant wipes for wipe‑resistant surfaces are suitable.