Abstract: A suspension for removing microbes from a surface comprises contacting a plurality of modified particles (MPs), comprise a plurality of microparticles are coated by one or more polymers or their surfaces are covalently bonded to functionality that promotes a cationic surface. The microparticles can be a metal, metal oxide, an organic particle, or any other microparticle. A metal oxide microparticle can be functionalized by a silane coupling agent or the organic microparticle can be a polymer or copolymer that has a functionalized monomer or polymer covalently or ionically bonded to a particle. The coating can be a polymer such as polyethylene imine or chitosan. The surface can be contacted by washing with the suspension of the modified microparticles.