A method for forming an antimicrobial coating, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate; providing an antimicrobial coating solution comprising an antimicrobial component configured to covalently bond to a surface of the substrate and a detectable fluorescent indicator configured to absorb ultraviolet radiation in the 100-415 nm wavelength range and, upon being excited, emit radiation in the 100-1000 nm wavelength range, wherein the emitted radiation wavelength and the absorbed ultraviolet radiation wavelength are different wavelengths; applying the antimicrobial coating solution to the surface of the substrate; allowing the antimicrobial coating solution to stand on the surface of the substrate to form the antimicrobial coating; irradiating the surface of the antimicrobial coated substrate with ultraviolet radiation in the 100-415 nm wavelength range to excite the detectable fluorescent indicator; and observing fluorescence corresponding to the excited detectable fluorescent indicator; characterized in that the method further includes the steps of: comparing the intensity of the observed fluorescence to the intensity of fluorescence of a control area of the substrate known to have an antimicrobial coating or lack an antimicrobial coating; and recording the intensity of the observed fluorescence or the compared intensity for comparison against future intensity of observed fluorescence data to track antimicrobial coating wear and/or performance. providing a substrate; providing an antimicrobial coating solution comprising an antimicrobial component configured to covalently bond to a surface of the substrate and a detectable fluorescent indicator configured to absorb ultraviolet radiation in the 100-415 nm wavelength range and, upon being excited, emit radiation in the 100-1000 nm wavelength range, wherein the emitted radiation wavelength and the absorbed ultraviolet radiation wavelength are different wavelengths; applying the antimicrobial coating solution to the surface of the substrate; allowing the antimicrobial coating solution to stand on the surface of the substrate to form the antimicrobial coating; irradiating the surface of the antimicrobial coated substrate with ultraviolet radiation in the 100-415 nm wavelength range to excite the detectable fluorescent indicator; and observing fluorescence corresponding to the excited detectable fluorescent indicator; characterized in that the method further includes the steps of: comparing the intensity of the observed fluorescence to the intensity of fluorescence of a control area of the substrate known to have an antimicrobial coating or lack an antimicrobial coating; and recording the intensity of the observed fluorescence or the compared intensity for comparison against future intensity of observed fluorescence data to track antimicrobial coating wear and/or performance. irradiating the surface of the antimicrobial coated substrate with ultraviolet radiation in the 100-415 nm wavelength range to excite the detectable fluorescent indicator; and observing fluorescence corresponding to the excited detectable fluorescent indicator; characterized in that the method further includes the steps of: comparing the intensity of the observed fluorescence to the intensity of fluorescence of a control area of the substrate known to have an antimicrobial coating or lack an antimicrobial coating; and recording the intensity of the observed fluorescence or the compared intensity for comparison against future intensity of observed fluorescence data to track antimicrobial coating wear and/or performance. comparing the intensity of the observed fluorescence to the intensity of fluorescence of a control area of the substrate known to have an antimicrobial coating or lack an antimicrobial coating; and recording the intensity of the observed fluorescence or the compared intensity for comparison against future intensity of observed fluorescence data to track antimicrobial coating wear and/or performance.