The use of antimicrobial agents as preservatives for various materials has been around for decades. Recently, a variety of antimicrobial agents have been added to textile substrates for the prevention of bacterial odor and the control of microbial deterioration on consumer products, and the decrease of bacterial cross contamination in the medical industry. This presentation provides a critical review of current antimicrobial technologies and methodology and looks at the suitability of various test methods for evaluating product function. It provides examples of extended study protocols and modifications of current test methods that can be used to assess the performance of treated textiles in hygienic and odor control applications. The durable activity of commercially-available antimicrobial polymeric systems will be used as examples using several different testing methods.