Preventative disinfection measures significantly improve the health and safety of occupied facilities by eliminating illness-causing pathogens, bacteria, molds, and mildews on high touch surfaces.
Preventing Infections Through High Touchpoint Cleaning Services
High touchpoints, a.k.a., fomites, are spots in every home, classroom, office, and publicly accessible facility that is regularly touched by people and include;
- Playground equipment
- Picnic tables
- ATMs
- Kitchen sinks
- Office desks
- Computer keyboards, and;
- Escalator handrails
Knowing what these fomites are and how to attack the germs and bacteria living on them is critical to public health.
How critical?
According to Dr. Charles Gerba of the University of Arizona;
[The] lack of knowledge about where germs lurk is a real health problem because people touch these objects and 80 percent of infections are spread through hand contact.
Where Do Germs Lurk? New Survey Shows Most Americans Don't Know
What Qualifies a Surface as High Touch?
Clearly, understanding what constitutes a high touch surface is the first step to preventing the spread of illness, but what separates a high touch surface from any other?
The simplest method for determining what constitutes a high touch surface in a facility is through observation--the most common types being:
- Common areas - Spots that are frequently touched by multiple guests and staff, such as door handles. Less frequented, but still likely covered in germs, are spots like water coolers and dispensers and vending machine buttons.
- Worker specific areas - Places that are repeatedly touched multiple times per day, typically by a single worker, or shift employees, such as an assembly line position or computer keyboard and mouse.
Cleaning and Disinfecting High Touch Surfaces
Cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces is not a simple process.
Not all disinfectants are rated by the EPA as effective against all viruses, bacteria, molds, or mildews.
Further, high touch surfaces must be cleaned first, prior to applying disinfectant, to ensure maximum effectiveness.
Additionally, the type of surface must be considered prior to applying a potentially corrosive disinfectant product to avoid damage.
Finally, employees should be trained in safe and effective disinfectant product handling and disposal methods to avoid potentially deadly accidents.
For most classrooms and businesses, the process will--ideally--look something like this:
- Dust, sweep, or wipe down a surface with a commercial-grade detergent to remove visible soil and oils.
- Apply the disinfectant and observe the manufacturer recommended product dwell time.
- Remove any potentially toxic residue left over from the disinfectant.
Addressing Common Misconceptions Regarding Disinfection Services
Germs and bacteria can and will hide in hard to reach places, which is why no-touch cleaning and electrostatic disinfection systems have become so prevalent.
Another common issue and misconception regarding disinfection is residual efficacy for pathogens.
According to the EPA, there are no products on the market that can make a claim regarding residual efficacy against a virus, which means that a surface, even one that has just been disinfected, can become immediately recontaminated as soon as someone touches it.
To address that challenge, many businesses have begun to employ day porter services to routinely wipe down high touchpoints throughout the day, keeping the detectable levels of pathogens and bacteria to a safe level for most occupants.
References & Resources
Takeaway
Two methods for disinfecting high touch surfaces have demonstrated their effectiveness and viability during the pandemic:
- No-touch Electrostatic Disinfection, which can get to areas cleaning staff cannot, and;
- Day Porters, which are tasked with wiping down frequently touched surfaces throughout the day with a disinfectant wipe, ensuring a sanitary surface for each occupants' use.
Providing these types of services is typically outside of the scope of budget and management skillset for most businesses.
A proven and cost-effective method for ensuring the highest cleanliness and safety standards is outsourcing daily and specialized custodial services to an experienced service provider.
If you would like more information regarding the effectiveness of high-performance infection prevention and control measures, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation onsite assessment of your facility's custodial needs, contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Fresno CA, call (559) 206-1059
In Valencia CA, or Santa Clarita CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Palmdale CA, or Lancaster CA, call (661) 371-4756
