Cleaning products are coveted today like never before. Prior to COVID-19, businesses of all kinds had cleaning plans and protocols in place. However, thanks to COVID-19, all of that has changed, as cleaning measures are now stricter than ever. In order to ensure that the virus doesn’t linger on any surfaces where employees, clients, and customers could come in direct contact with it, you need to take extra precautions when cleaning your building. So, what sanitation products and procedures are the most effective against COVID-19? Let’s find out!
Where to Clean
According to the EPA and CDC, it’s important to clean every square inch of your company’s building, with a special focus on high-touch surfaces. These surfaces including things like door knobs and handles, light switches, faucets, doors, computer keyboards, and everything in the bathroom, from the toilet and flush lever to the sink and paper towel dispenser. Break rooms are another space that are frequented by your employees, meaning that those area run a high risk of potential contamination. Of course, on top of these high-touch surfaces and rooms, everything else in the building must be cleaned regularly and thoroughly.
Staying Safe: Proper Cleaning Protocols
In general, the proper cleaning protocols are a little more extensive than normal. While a standard cleaning crew would wear gloves while getting the job done, in the past things like masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) weren’t on their list of supplies. But now they are. Anyone cleaning your building, especially those common areas, should wear a mask and a pair of disposable gloves. These will prevent any additional germs from spreading throughout the building during the cleaning process and keep your employees and cleaning crew safe.
What to Use to Clean Your Company’s Building
On top of knowing where to clean and what to wear to stay safe, there are a number of recommended cleaning solutions. It’s important to start each cleaning session by applying a simple solution of soap and hot water with a sponge or other tool. This removes any traces of the virus on the surface. Then, to ensure that every bit of the virus has been eliminated and is gone for good, dry that soap and water mixture (after rinsing, of course) and follow it with a standard household disinfectant – like Clorox or Lysol which kills the virus.
If you prefer not to use a disinfectant, you can make your own cleaning solution out of bleach that has been diluted with water. Either way, leave the solution on the surface long enough to eliminate the COVID-19 virus before wiping the area clean. Each disinfectant will have instructions as to how long to let it sit. With diluted bleach, leave it on for 60 seconds before rising and wiping.
In addition to household disinfectant and bleach solutions, there are a number of COVID-19-cleaning approved options. These include antibacterial cleaners, disinfectant wipes, and specialized solutions that contain active ingredients like quaternary ammonium, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium hypochlorite. No matter which solution you choose, just remember to keep the windows open while cleaning to avoid inhalation of the fumes.
Constant attention and diligence in your sanitation efforts will prove beneficial in the fight against COVID-19. All anti-bacterial, disinfectant, and bleach-based solutions will kill the COVID-19 virus, keep your high-touch surfaces effectively sanitized, and prove effective in prioritizing the safety of your employees.