Disinfecting COVID-19 From Your Facility

1. Disinfecting COVID-19 From Your Facility In this article I would like to consolidate all essential information that pertains to cleaning and disinfecting your workplace. At the bottom you will see all sources of the information. The purpose of this article is to establish a level of transparency between consumers and service providers. From the beginning of this outbreak we have noticed both qualified and unqualified companies claiming that they can produce the best service by incorporating equipment that justifies a ridiculous price markup, meanwhile all they are doing is manipulating your trust. There is not sufficient data or tests to back Electrostatic Sprayers! Starting around 2010 or so, a company named Active Ion was all the rage with their claims that their process of Ionizing water into cleaners and disinfectants (the use of an ionizer i.e. Electrostatic Sprayers). The Jan San industry bought into this like hot cakes. Several years later it was proven that Ionized water has zero disinfectant properties and even less cleaning ability. During this time, Tennant introduced Autoscrubbers with Ionized capabilities. Some end Users saw the end of the expense of chemicals and purchased the high priced machines. When they found that ionized water would not remove soil, they attempted to introduce chemicals to the machines. Tennant warned them if they did that they would void the warranty. Active ION could not provide data and test results of killing bacteria and Viruses to the EPA. Sometime later Active ION went out of business. Today there is still no test data on Ionized water killing bacteria and Viruses. Stay away from it!

2. How to Clean and Disinfect Your Facility Use PPE To begin, when disinfecting a facility proactively or reactive (before or after a COVID-19 case has occurred) personal protective equipment (PPE) is required. Following the disinfecting the PPE must be removed carefully in order to avoid contamination. Immediately after removing your PPE you should wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, if no soap or water are available resort to using hand sanitizer. The use of face masks The CDC and NYS Department of Health do not encourage the routine use of face masks, and unnecessary use of face masks can deplete supplies for health care providers and facilities that are providing needed medical care to sick individuals in inpatient settings. Classify high-touch surfaces Begin by classifying high-touch surfaces and low-touch surfaces, depending on your facility these classifications might change. This will determine where you will prioritize your time. Keep in mind the goal of cleaning your facility is to maximize efficiency in minimal time. Reducing the time spent of your employee inside the facility will reduce the chances of him/her becoming contaminated. By classifying your high-touch services you have identified the locations where you should allocate most of your time. Examples of high-touch surfaces: ● sinks ● faucet and toilet handles ● drinking fountains ● elevator buttons ● push plates ● phones

3. ● keys ● remote controls ● doorknobs ● light switches ● handrails ● kitchen appliances ● counters ● drawer pulls ● tables How to Disinfect First be aware of of the differences between cleaning and disinfecting. For information on the differences between cleaning disinfecting and sanitizing refer here. An area must be cleaned prior to disinfecting. The most important part of the disinfecting is choosing the correct disinfectant. Check your disinfectant’s EPA claims in order to determine if your disinfectant kills COVID-19. Follow the instructions on the disinfectant’s label, paying close attention to application method and contact time. With our personal disinfectant we spray from 12 inches away, and apply enough so that the disinfectant sits for 10 seconds prior to drying. In most cases letting the disinfectant sit longer than 10 seconds is suitable. Soft or porous items Examples: clothing, bed linens, carpets and rugs, upholstered chairs, sofas. For clothing, towels, linens and other items that can be laundered, wash at the warmest temperature possible with your normal detergent and then dry completely. Prior to washing avoid ‘hugging’ your laundry in order to avoid self-contamination. Do not shake your laundry prior to washing. For items such as rug, drapes, or upholstered sofa that cannot be laundered, follow the manufacturer’s instructions or use a cleaning product specifically for that item, such as a steam cleaner.

4. Additional Recommendations Ensure that all handwashing sinks have clean running water, soap and paper towels at all times. Keep alcohol-based hand sanitizers in common areas. Keep your employees informed of proper precautions! It is advised that your print this document in all common areas to keep your employees informed. Sources of Information NYS Department of Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Failure of Ionized Water Produced by Activeion Ionator to Kill Potential Harmful Bacteria https://strikeforcemaintenance.com/