If there is one task that has been on top of everybody’s mind for the past months, more than any other, it is disinfecting. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, nothing has been more important for families and business owners than making sure the various surfaces and common areas in their homes and workplaces are disinfected properly.
However, most people do not necessarily know what the right products and the best techniques are to achieve optimum disinfection. And even worse, they often confuse disinfecting with cleaning, when these are two completely different concepts.
In this article, Disinfect & Fog will help you to better understand what is disinfecting and how to know if you are disinfecting properly in your home and workplace.
What Is Disinfecting?
Disinfecting is using a disinfectant product on surfaces or spaces to kill the disease-producing microorganisms, such as germs and bacteria, present there.
Cleaning, on the other hand, is simply removing dust and dirt from surfaces using different methods like sweeping, dusting, mopping, or wiping using a damp clean cloth and some type of detergent. By doing this you do not kill germs and bacteria, you only reduce their presence. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US), damp methods of cleaning are preferred because they are less likely to leave virus droplets in the air.
Related: The Difference Between Disinfecting and Sanitizing
Now that you can easily understand what is disinfecting and what is not, let us move on to the next question.
How Do I Know If I'm Disinfecting Properly At Home And At My Workplace?
Our homes are the places where we spend most of our time, especially over the past year. Therefore, maintaining high touch surfaces free of germs and bacteria is key to controlling the spread of viruses and keeping your family healthy.
The same happens at your workplace, the space that you share with your employees, coworkers, and clients. Guaranteeing that every person that visits your workplace remains safe and does not endanger themselves, or their families, once they return home, is your responsibility.
That being said, to confirm that you are disinfecting properly you should be able to say yes to all of these statements:
- You wore disposable gloves to disinfect and discarded them afterward or, wore reusable gloves that you dedicate exclusively for disinfecting.
- You made arrangements to have good ventilation before starting the disinfection process.
- Before disinfecting, you cleaned all visibly dirty surfaces using soap and water.
- You used a disinfectant from the ones listed on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, in the US) or Health Canada.
- You followed the directions on the product’s label, including the recommendation of keeping surfaces wet with the disinfectant for a specific amount of time to get the best results.
Following these simple guidelines is the most effective way to know if you are disinfecting your home and workplace properly. Added to this, it is important to know what and where to disinfect, and with what frequency. There is not a single answer to this because high-touch surfaces are not the same everywhere.
For instance, at home, you should disinfect surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, countertops, tables, remote controls, toilets, faucets, laundry hampers, electronics, and all cabinet handles. At your workplace, you should focus on access buttons (including elevators), phones, keyboards, desks, customer service counters, cash registers, and handrails, ensuring they are properly disinfected.
Related: Best Way To Disinfect Business Offices
What Are The Best Products For Disinfecting Properly?
Today there are several alternatives for disinfecting surfaces properly and safely that go beyond traditional spraying and wiping. Such is the case of disinfectant fogging machines, an innovative type of device that stands out from the rest for being able to turn disinfectant solutions into a fine mist, or “fog”, that penetrates hard-to-reach areas, accessing every nook and cranny.
It should be mentioned that the particles spread by foggers remain suspended in the air for a while, killing airborne viruses, bacteria, and even odors. This means that disinfectant fogging machines offer full coverage disinfection in the least amount of time and with less product than other methods, making it an efficient and cost-effective solution for disinfecting workplaces and public spaces, as well as homes.
In terms of devices, some of the best foggers available are electrostatic disinfectant sprayers and ULV foggers. When it comes to disinfectant solutions, there are fog or spray-on sanitizers with electrolyzed water technology (HOCI) that are much more effective than bleach and completely safe for residential and business usage.
So, fear not dear reader, because now you know that disinfecting properly does not have to be a daunting task. Disinfecting properly is a matter of choosing the right products available in the market and applying the best techniques to keep your home or workplace safe and healthy for you and yours.
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