Properly cleaning and disinfecting your classroom or office space will significantly impact attendance, productivity, and profits this year, especially with a potentially bad cold and flu season on the horizon.
Proper Disinfecting
The key to pathogen prevention is proper disinfection.
Proper disinfection requires:
- Preparation.
- Correct application, and;
- Consistency.
But what about airborne pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, routine surface cleaning and disinfection services combined with well-published handwashing practices are suitable for COVID-19 prevention in non-healthcare under most circumstances.
The virus that causes COVID-19 can land on surfaces.
It’s possible for people to become infected if they touch those surfaces and then touch their nose, mouth, or eyes.
In most situations, the risk of infection from touching a surface is low.
The most reliable way to prevent infection from surfaces is to regularly wash hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces can also reduce the risk of infection.
Proper Preparation for Surface Disinfection
Before disinfecting, all visible soil should be removed through a combination of wet and dry cleaning methods comprised of:
- Dusting.
- Sweeping.
- Vacuuming.
- Mopping, and;
- Wiping down vertical and horizontal surfaces.
Wet cleaning should be completed with a commercial-grade soap-based detergent.
Dry cleaning should be completed with commercial-grade microfiber and HEPA-filtered tools.
Disinfecting Correctly
In non-healthcare environments, under most circumstances, cleaning with soap and water once per day and disinfecting once per week with an EPA-registered disinfectant is sufficient to prevent pathogen transmission.
Exceptions include:
- Facility contamination by an infected occupant.
- Increases in pathogen transmission among the local community.
- Facilities with poor indoor air quality and ventilation.
- Facilities with limited access to hand hygiene products.
- Facilities that commonly service vulnerable demographics, such as retirement homes or daycares, and;
- Facilities that experience significant spikes in seasonal foot traffic, such as retail and hospitality.
In those instances, the following actions are advised:
- Conduct a thorough risk assessment based on surface and air testing, facility occupancy, use, and outbreak severity.
- Increase facility cleaning frequencies--the higher the risk, the more you should clean.
- Wipe down fomites with an EPA-registered disinfectant or wipe as often as is practical and potentially after any occupant contact if warranted by the risk assessment.
- Safely increase facility disinfection frequencies by employing electrostatic disinfection sprayers and automatic floor scrubbers, which share the dual advantage of reducing resource use and waste, and;
- Routinely check and verify the efficacy of the facilities cleaning program with follow-up ATP and IAQ tests.
The Vanguard Cleaning Systems of the Ozarks' Approach to Proper Cleaning and Disinfection
Vanguard Cleaning Systems of the Ozarks provides several tools to cost-effectively manage the dynamically shifting needs of high-outcome facility safety and hygiene programs, including:
- Scalable monthly service agreements.
- A-la-carte services and staffing augmentation.
- Daytime cleaning and porter services.
- Dedicated account managers.
- Trained and certified service providers, and;
- A full assortment of the latest cleaning tools, products, and technologies.
Takeaway
Implementing the correct cleaning and disinfection program for your facility will have a massive impact on the future of your organization.
A growing body of scientific studies has established a direct connection between impeccably maintained classrooms and office buildings and:
- Occupant attendance and performance.
- Profits.
- Test scores.
- Long-term life outcomes.
- Social progress.
- Employee retention, and;
- Skilled labor acquisition.
Clean buildings are safer, and make people feel better, which leads to them performing better.
Need more capability from your vendor partners--Let’s talk.
In Oklahoma, dial 918-960-4450
In Arkansas, dial 479-717-2410
In Missouri, dial 417-812-9777
