Exemplary useful quaternary ammonium compounds include quaternary ammonium germicides which may be characterized by the general structural formula: ##STR1## where at least one of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is a alkyl, aryl or alkylaryl substituent of from 6 to 26 carbon atoms, and desirably the entire cation portion of the molecule has a molecular weight of at least 165.