Even before the emergence of the COVID-19, the cleaning and disinfection of key heavy traffic areas of offices are mostly done by in-house cleaning personnel. However, as the coronavirus continues to spread across countries and communities, it would be sensible to perform a more thorough cleaning and disinfection of office spaces to maintain a virus-free environment.

Fortunately, the concern over the spread of COVID-19 in an office can be easily minimised by the presence of professional cleaners. They have sufficient skills and experiences to match whatever cleaning agent or product needed to a specific object or surface. They also know which cleaning method would work best to remove dust, dirt, grime, and stains. Additionally, their knowledge about disinfectants makes them more recommended to do office cleaning and disinfection tasks.

The following are some things that must know about office cleaning and disinfection from the coronavirus.

Using Personal Protective Equipment

The cleaning and disinfection of your office must be done without compromising anyone’s health. The people who are doing these cleaning tasks are risking their lives just to eradicate the coronavirus alongside other diseases. So, whatever cleaning tasks are assigned to them, they will be required to wear disposable gloves and gowns all the time. The use of additional personal protective equipment is necessary if the exposure from cleaning or disinfectant products can be dangerous to one’s health.

Cleaning and Disinfection Procedures

Cleaning is usually the first step in every cleaning task. Cleaning entails the removal of germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces or objects. These surfaces or objects may be found on key areas of an office like restrooms, workstations, recreation rooms, and conference rooms. When cleaning, most cleaning staff would typically use soap or detergent as their main cleaning component. Some tools that are associated with cleaning include feather duster, microfibre cleaning cloths, and mops.

Disinfection typically comes after the cleaning process. Disinfection typically uses specific chemicals or disinfectants to kill germs on surfaces. This procedure is important in removing contagious diseases that may be found on frequently used surfaces like lift buttons, handrails, taps, door handles, tables, countertops, light switches, keyboards, sinks, and many more. Cleaners would follow the instructions on the label of the disinfectant so that it will not cause any harm to people and surfaces. Ventilation is also important when using disinfectants as they may react differently under certain conditions.

The Importance of Washing Hands

Once the cleaning staff removed their gloves and other personal protective equipment, they must wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. This practice must always be done as viruses can be easily eliminated through the power of soap. For added safety measures, you can apply hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol to significantly remove any remaining germs.

All these things contribute to the effective cleaning and disinfection of office spaces and their key areas from the threat of coronavirus. For more information about cleaning and disinfection, feel free to contact us at Australian Commercial Maintenance.

The spread of COVID-19 in almost all countries has significantly changed our perception of cleaning and disinfection. Offices, stores, schools, and other public places must now be cleaned, disinfected, and sanitised regularly so that any diseases and viruses found on frequently used or touched objects and surfaces will be eliminated.

Various necessary adjustments in light of the current pandemic situation have also been formulated and packaged to help people go on with their lives under the new normal. One key adjustment that is already set by the authorities is the guidelines for cleaning public spaces.

For a successful cleaning and disinfection of public spaces as well as individual households, here are some guidelines and accompanying practices that must be strictly followed.

Develop a Plan

Before the actual cleaning and disinfection process, you should develop a well-made plan first. The creation of a plan will start with an assessment of areas that must be cleaned. Usually, areas that are not occupied for a week or more might only need routine cleaning. Frequently visited or occupied areas, on the other hand, must be cleaned at regular intervals.

Afterward, you must now consider the types of surfaces that are present in the identified areas. Surfaces that are always subject to human interaction must always be prioritised whenever cleaning and disinfection kick-off.

The last part of the plan development involves the enumeration of the needed resources and equipment. Time, budget, and even the workforce are essential resources for cleaning and disinfection. Moreover, the availability of cleaning products, disinfectants, and personal protective equipment (PPE) must be considered.

Implement the Plan

By the time your plan is set, it would be the best time for you to implement the cleaning and disinfection process. One key step that must be done before the disinfection of surfaces is the cleaning part. You must first clean any dirty surfaces and objects with soap and water to ensure the effectiveness of the disinfectants. And when you are done with the cleaning part, you can now proceed to the disinfection of the identified areas and their surfaces.

Anyone who will conduct the disinfection of key areas and surfaces must use EPA-approved disinfectants. To make sure that your disinfectant can truly eliminate COVID-19 particles and other harmful microbes, you may want to check its label. Reading the label can also provide you appropriate application instructions. For safety measures, you must keep your disinfectants out of the read of children.

Maintain and Revise the Plan

After the cleaning and disinfection process, you must continue or modify your plan according to the situation around and inside your public space and the availability of your disinfectants, PPE, and even cleaning personnel. The cleaning and disinfection process must still be practiced every day, especially if there are surfaces that are frequently touched and used.

Safe practices that are set by the authorities must also be maintained and followed strictly. You must wash your hands regularly, wear cloth face coverings when going out, and stay home if you are not feeling well. Social distancing must also be maintained as the virus is still out there. Whenever you are outside, you must stay six feet away from others. Any sharing of common spaces and touching of objects with bare hands must also be minimised in public areas.

All these guidelines are now being strictly followed by respected and reliable cleaning companies. If you need help with cleaning and disinfection of public spaces, just give us a call at Australian Commercial Maintenance.