The antimicrobial efficiency of 20 commercially available solutions for soaking and rinsing soft contact lenses was studied in relation to 5 bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Serratia marcescens) and 1 fungus (Candida albicans). Each product was separately inoculated with each of six microorganisms, and samples of the inoculated contact lens solutions were taken at predetermined times, placed in a recovery medium, and incubated. Where there was growth, the colonies were counted. There were differences in performance even between solutions labeled as having the same antimicrobial content. One of the solutions marketed in Spain to soak hydrogel contact lenses failed to inactivate all six test strains.