Disinfection at The Office: How Much?

Creating and maintaining a clean, safe, and healthy work environment is as hot a topic now as it has ever been. The two main elements in maintaining a clean, safe, and healthy work environment are cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning is important as that’s the best way to physically remove dirt, dust, and debris. Along with removing dirt, dust and debris, some pathogens are removed by washing them away, reducing the amount of pathogens present.

Cleaning, however, does not fully disinfect the surface. Applying an EPA registered disinfectant will kill or inactivate up to 99.9999% of pathogens present on surfaces. Disinfection also eliminates the risk of cross-contamination that may occur in the cleaning process. Learn more about commercial disinfection services.

Does Disinfection Need to be Done Constantly?

In terms of frequency, disinfecting should occur based on use. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends surfaces that are considered “high-touch” be disinfected on as regular a basis as you can manage. High-touch surfaces include light switches, door handles, countertops, desks, etc. These don’t need to be scrubbed down every single day, but you theoretically won’t have any issues cl

It is also important to remember the purpose of disinfecting high-touch surfaces is to break the chain of infection by eliminating the environment from the infection equation. Breaking the chain of infection by disinfecting high-touch surfaces limits the amount that pathogens can multiply, therefore reducing the risk of transmission via touch.

Good Work Area Disinfecting Practices

Knowing that pathogens can reside on surfaces and multiply can lead to the assumption that the more disinfectant applied across the entire work environment can reduce the risk of infection even further. Though it is true that cleaning and disinfecting can reduce the number of pathogens when used, you need to consider 1) how frequently is the surface touched by someone’s hands, 2) what or who comes in contact with that area, and 3) what are the potential hazards of the type of disinfectant being applied.

1. When it comes to surfaces to disinfect, the CDC recommends high-touch surfaces be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Lower traffic areas are fine to be disinfected with less frequency. This targeted approach can help prevent the misapplication of the disinfectant and also reduce the cost of maintaining a clean, safe, and healthy work environment.
2. Not all disinfectants are created equal, in both their chemistry, and their application. Just because a disinfectant is killing pathogens doesn’t mean it isn’t killing something else. Harsher disinfectants like bleach or peroxide can cause damage to the human body, as well as the surfaces they are applied to. Quat based disinfectants are less dangerous than bleach or peroxide, but still come with hazard risk. Therefore, it is highly important to know what disinfectant is being used and the hazards associated with it. The application of a disinfectant can also pose health risks. Whole are applications like fogging introduce the disinfectant as a micro-droplet into the environment. Those micro-droplets can easily be inhaled into the lungs by anyone present at the time of application.

Regular Disinfection & Cleanings are a Must-have

A clean and healthy work environment has never been more important to the health and safety of employees. It’s important that you understand the cleaning services you pay for so you really know what you’re getting for your money. Learn more about our commercial cleaning services and disinfection services! Commercial Cleaners Charlotte are as good as it gets in the Charlotte area – and we also offer Ballantyne Commercial Cleaning services!