The continuous spreading of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) indicates the importance of cleaning workspaces more than ever before. Studies show that when there are gatherings, as always experienced in the pubic places like offices, everyone is at risk of getting contracted with the virus.
Fortunately, the possibilities of infection spreading are reduced through the process of cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces.
Hence, businesses need to put in more effort to make sure their workplaces are well and regularly disinfected. Several calls are being placed to Clean House Melbourne by companies that need cleanings and advice on how to maintain a clean office environment.
This post will discuss how to disinfect your office quickly and safely and other tips to promote healthy environment.
Which Areas to clean and disinfect?
Any frequently touched surfaces should first get cleaned and disinfected. These are:
✔ Tabletops,
✔ Desks,
✔ Light switches,
✔ TV remotes,
✔ Toilets,
✔ Taps,
✔ Counters,
✔ Elevator buttons,
✔ Door handles,
✔ Kitchen surfaces and cupboard handles,
✔ Phones,
✔ EFTPOS machines and workplace amenities.
You must first clean and disinfect surfaces that are much dirty and often used by people (such as EFTPOS machines, trolleys, and checkouts). Be sure to direct your employees to clean and disinfect personal belongings used in the place of work, such as phones and glasses, regularly with the use of disinfectant wipes or sprays.
How to disinfect your Office Safely
Disinfecting involves the use of chemicals to get rid of germs on surfaces. Cleaning is essential before disinfecting as dirt and grime can lower disinfectants’ ability to eliminate germs effectively.
Hard Surface
You can apply any of the following disinfectants on hard surfaces (surfaces that doesn’t absorb liquid but contain spilled liquid pools):
– minimum of 70% alcoholic concentration,
– chlorine bleach contained in a 1000 parts per million concentrations,
– wipes and sprays that have quaternary ammonium compounds, or oxygen bleach.
These chemicals will be marked as a disinfectant on the packaging and must be used based on the manufacturer’s instruction as listed on the package for effective use.
✔ Use a household disinfectant effective against the virus that causes the new coronavirus COVID-19 to disinfect. Ensure effective use of the disinfectant product by following the manufacturer’s instructions.
✔ Most products recommend: Making sure the surface is wet for a certain period (check product label).
✔ Taking precautions like putting on gloves and making sure there is proper ventilation when using the product.
✔ Be sure to read and follow the instructions given on the label to make sure the product is effectively and safely used.
✔ Put on skin protection and look into eye protection for possible splash cases.
✔ Give room for enough ventilation.
✔ Do not use more than the recommended quantity on the label.
✔ Make use of water at room temperature to dilute (unless advised otherwise on the product label).
✔ Stay away from mixing chemical products.
✔ Indicate on diluted cleaning solutions.
✔ Keep and use chemicals out of reach of pets and children.
Note: Do not eat, drink, breathe, or inject any of these products into your body or use directly on your skin as they can lead to serious harm. Avoid bathing or wiping pets with these products or any other unapproved products for animal use.
Soft Surfaces
To disinfect soft surfaces like drapes, carpeted floor, and rugs:
✔ Use soap and water to clean the entire area or use cleaners recommended for these surfaces.
✔ Launder items are based on the recommendation of the manufacturer. Ensure the water setting is at the warmest as appropriately recommended.
OR
✔ Use household disinfectant effective against COVID-19 as listed on N.
✔ Vacuum normally
Electronics
To disinfect electronics like keyboards, ATM machines, touch screens, remote controls, and tablets.
✔ Look into placing a wipeable cover over electronics.
✔ Take to manufacturer’s instruction for cleaning and disinfecting.
✔ In the absence of guidance, make use of alcohol-based wipe or sprays th a minimum of 70% alcohol.
✔ Dry surface totally.
Laundry
To disinfect clothing, linens, towels, and other items:
✔ Wash items based on the instructions given by the manufacturers. Wash with the warmest important water setting and dry items fully.
✔ Put on disposable gloves when working on dirty laundry from a sick person.
✔ You can wash soiled laundry from a sick person with items from other people.
✔ Avoid shaking laundry.
✔ Follow the guidance provided above to clean and disinfect clothes hampers.
✔ Take out gloves and thoroughly wash hands.
Cleaning and disinfecting Outdoor
Routine cleaning is needed in outdoor areas such as parks and schools but rarely require disinfection.
✔ Avoid spraying of the disinfectant product on outdoor playgrounds as this is not an efficient way to apply supplies and is also not proven to lower the risk of spread of COVID-19.
✔ Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces made of metal or plastic, like railings and grab bars.
✔ No recommendation for cleaning and disinfection of wooden surfaces such as benches, tables, play structures, or groundcovers like sand and mulch.
✔ Do not disinfect sidewalks.
✔ There is a low risk of spread of COVID-19 from these surfaces.
Extra Considerations for Employers
✔ Make sure your workers are educated on performing laundry, cleaning, and trash removal to identify the symptoms of COVID-19.
✔ Give instructions on the things to do if they show symptoms within two weeks after their previous possible exposure to COVID-19.
✔ Come up with policies for employee protection and give training to all cleaning workers on site before you provide cleaning tasks.
✔ Make sure the use of necessary PPE, how to put on and off PPE correctly, and how to get rid of them properly are included.
✔ Make sure employees are properly trained on the hazards of the chemicals used for cleaning the workplace in line with OHSA’s Hazard Communication Standard.
✔ Follow OHSA’s standards on pathogens transmissible by blood, which includes proper disposal of PPE and regulated waste.
Additional Tips to disinfecting Workplace
~ Apply a 1-way wipe down: Wipe the surface down in one direction and do not leave this direction so as to avoid depositing germs that were recently cleaned up. Follow a routine to wipe down highly touched surfaces like doorknobs, workstations, and countertops.
~ Try color-coded cleaning: Use color code clothes for certain spaces, so there is no cross-contamination between custodial and janitorial workers, as well as confusion between the kitchen and bathroom cloths.
~ Find out what chemicals can do: Most popular household disinfectants claim to kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, which includes flu strain, Ecoli and Salmonella, human coronavirus, and so on. But will they be effective against COVID-19? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, these disinfectants are expected to be effective against the new strain of coronavirus, but until it’s proven by tests. This still remains yet to be proved scientifically.
~ Tech disinfect: Remember to wipe down frequently touched surfaces on a worker’s desk, which include phone and their keyboard.
~ Heavily encourage handwashing: Make some signs like handwashing and drying signs across the office, starting from the kitchen to the bathroom, to make sure workers are always reminded of the need to clean their hands using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol or using warm water and soap for about 20 seconds. Totally dry hands as germs easily spread with moisture.
Using disinfectants safely
Comply with all the instructions given by the manufacturers and go through the label and Safety Data Sheet (SDS). For more information on how to study labels and SDS, check the SDS page for Safe Work Australia.
Do not mix different Types of Disinfectants
Safely and securely keep your disinfectants away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Make sure there is proper ventilation where you are mixing your disinfectants. Some centralized products allow the use of a ventilation system from the local exhaust. To spray or mist products, spray into the cleaning cloth directly to moist it for use. Make sure you do not cause a mist.
The following are the PPE to use during dilution and applying disinfectants:
– gloves, elbow-length (if available), and
– Eye protection, such as safety glasses and not prescription glasses.
Conclusion
Combining cleaning and disinfection will certainly be effective in getting rid of the COVID-19 virus in both homes and offices. Cleaning lowers the dirty load on the surface, giving the disinfectant the chance to work effectively and eliminate the COVID-19 virus. The viruses may refuse to die when you apply disinfectant if the surface has not been cleaned using detergent.
If you have done your office COVID disinfection or it was not properly done, don’t hesitate to call us for highly demanded Office COVID Disinfection. We will be glad to have good service relationship.