Cellulose-Based Wet Wipes Combining Essential Oils and Sodium Hypochlorite: A Sustainable Strategy for Bacterial Control

The development of antimicrobial formulations for biodegradable wet wipes is of increasing interest for more sustainable hygiene applications. Objectives: This study aimed to develop and evaluate a cellulose-based antimicrobial wipe formulation by combining sodium hypochlorite with essential oils from Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass), Lavandula officinalis (lavender), and Syzygium aromaticum (clove). The formulation was designed to incorporate sodium hypochlorite and essential oils into a cellulose matrix and to evaluate whether their combination could enhance antibacterial efficacy through synergistic interactions. Methods: Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) was used as a complementary qualitative method to characterize the essential oils and to assess spectral changes following their incorporation into the cellulose-based wipe substrate. Antibacterial activity was evaluated against Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 and Salmonella enteritidis ATCC 13076 following CLSI guidelines, while combined interactions were assessed using the checkerboard assay. Results: FTIR-ATR analysis revealed characteristic spectral features of the investigated essential oils and detectable spectral changes following their incorporation into the sodium hypochlorite-treated cellulose-based wipes. Sodium hypochlorite exhibited the strongest antibacterial activity, while S. aromaticum oil showed the highest efficacy among essential oils. Notably, synergistic interactions were observed between sodium hypochlorite and all essential oils against Gram-positive bacteria, with lavender oil showing consistent synergy across all bacterial strains (FICI 0.28–0.31). The developed formulation achieved 99.999% bacterial reduction for Gram-positive strains and substantial inhibition of Gram-negative bacteria within 20 min. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the potential of combining sodium hypochlorite with essential oils for the development of effective antibacterial cellulose-based wet wipes and provide a basis for further investigation of formulations that may achieve effective bacterial control with reduced concentrations of conventional disinfectants.