Commercial Building Cleaning & Disinfecting Tips to Reduce Risk of COVID-19 - Escarosa

As COVID-19 continues to spread, people are looking for ways to protect vulnerable populations and decrease exposure risk. For many, this comes down to cleaning and disinfecting. COVID-19 is incredibly contagious, though, and it’s common for commercial building owners and others to wonder how to kill germs effectively.

Whether you own public buildings or you want to decrease your own risk, this post will walk you through the best ways to kill COVID-19 today. Let’s get started.

5 Daily Tips to Keep Your Building Clean

Do your part to stop the virus and protect the public with these five tips:

1. Clean surfaces first

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you should clean any dirty surface using detergent and water. Do this before you start the disinfection process. This step makes disinfection more effective. It also helps kill bacteria and germs and decrease future cleaning burdens.

2. Mind your solution

When it comes time to disinfect, you have a few options. What you use depends, in large part, on what you intend to clean. The CDC recommends using the following solutions:

• A diluted household bleach solution

• Alcohol solution with at least 70% alcohol

• Or an EPA-registered household disinfectant

In most cases, diluted household bleach solutions are acceptable. Just be sure the surface you intend to clean is compatible with bleach. To make the solution, mix ⅓ cup bleach with a gallon of water. From there, you can spray or wipe the solution onto the affected surface. Wipe it off with a clean cloth and allow it to air dry.

If you’re cleaning textiles or other porous materials, use the cleaners indicated for use on such surfaces.

3. Wear protective gear

Be sure to protect yourself as you clean and disinfect. Here are the CDC’s recommendations on personal protective equipment:

Cleaning staff should wear disposable gloves and gowns for all tasks in the cleaning process, including handling trash.

• Gloves and gowns should be compatible with the disinfectant products being used.

• Additional PPE might be required based on the cleaning/disinfectant products being used and whether there is a risk of a splash.

• Gloves and gowns should be removed carefully to avoid contamination of the wearer and the surrounding area. Be sure to clean your hands after removing gloves.

In addition to wearing proper personal protective equipment, the CDC recommends frequent hand washing. You should also disinfect shared surfaces like doorknobs, tables, desks, and handrails. Household Clorox wipes will work well for this purpose.

4. Be careful with linens

Items that can go in the washing machine are easy to clean. As a general rule, washing them on the warmest appropriate setting and drying on high heat will kill any virus present. As you prepare them for laundering, though, be careful to avoid shaking dirty laundry. This will reduce the risk of sending the virus airborne.

5. Keep track of local protocols

In addition to CDC guidelines, there may be local and state health department protocols your establishment should follow. Keep up with these accordingly, as they may include guidance on cleaning, disinfection, and identification of new COVID-19 cases.

The Case for Professional Cleaning

These are uncertain times, and public safety is of the utmost importance. With this in mind, now is an excellent time to consider having your building professionally cleaned.

If you’ve closed your business during this period of quarantine and self-isolation, now is the perfect time to have your building thoroughly disinfected! Not only will this increase public confidence in your company, but it will also reduce the risk of transmitting the virus.