Abstract: The invention relates to a method of imparting anti-pathogenic properties to a substrate material comprising: (a) preparing a coating composition containing an anti-pathogenic agent consisting essentially of PVP-I and N-9 in a ratio of from about 100:0 to about 0:100 of PVP-I to N-9, the coating composition further containing a pre-mix solution with which the anti-pathogenic agent is intimately mixed in a ratio of from about 6:4 to about 8:2 of agent to pre-mix on a dry basis, and having a percent solids content of from about 5% to about 35% solids; (b) feeding the anti-pathogenic coating composition into a coating machine; (c) loading substrate onto the coating machine; (d) operating the coating machine such that the coating composition comes into intimate contact with at least one surface of the substrate; and (e) drying the coated substrate material. The invention further relates to the preparation of coating composition and to the composition itself.