The effective management of bacterial bioburden is an essential element of wound care. Recent years have seen the increased use of topical antimicrobial dressings to control colonisation and infection, yet there is concern that some may inhibit wound healing and may have systemic sequelae ( World Union of Wound Healing Societies (WUWHS), 2008 ). This article focuses on the safety and effectiveness of PHMB, an antimicrobial compound that is relatively underused in the UK, and argues that it is an effective option for the management of bacterial colonisation and infection.