Best practices for cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting surfaces

Given the current pandemic context, companies and individuals have more responsibilities when it comes to cleaning and disinfection. Like other viruses, SARS-CoV-2 is a virus with a lipid outer envelope, which makes it more vulnerable to disinfectants compared to viruses without an outer envelope.

Public health organizations frequently provide recommendations to private institutions and companies to enhance disinfection procedures, in order to continue ensuring/protecting the health of people who work in or visit a building or public space.

The difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting

Although the terms are often used in similar contexts, there are important differences between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting.

Cleaning: removes debris and dirt from surfaces. This process reduces the presence of germs by 80%. Cleaning is performed in all areas, such as at the office or at home.

Sanitizing: reduces the presence of germs on surfaces to a level considered acceptable by public health authorities, but it does not guarantee the elimination of bacteria and viruses. Sanitizing is recommended in places where there is contact with food, especially in kitchens and dining areas.

Disinfecting: eliminates 99.99% of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Disinfecting is recommended for use in areas that are in contact with contaminants and bodily fluids, such as restrooms, floors, work tools, equipment, as well as various frequently touched surfaces: door and cabinet handles, light switches, and other objects. For surfaces, specially dedicated products should be used, such as: surface disinfectant, biocidal disinfectant, instrument disinfectant. It is important to keep in mind that sanitizing and disinfecting are ineffective if cleaning has not been performed first. Disinfectants cannot destroy germs if surfaces are uncleaned and have too much dirt.

Recommendations for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces

For effective surface disinfection, coarse materials are first removed by cleaning, and then the disinfectant is applied. Before use, consult the manufacturer's instructions on the label so that the process is carried out correctly.

Here are some recommendations for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces:

• Use protective equipment – mask and disposable gloves – when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. Gloves should be discarded after each use, and hands should be thoroughly cleaned afterward
• If surfaces are dirty, they must first be cleaned with detergent or soap and water before disinfection
• Frequently clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces with alcohol or chlorine-based disinfectants. These surfaces can include: tables, door handles, light switches, kitchen countertops, desks, keyboards, toilets, sinks.
• Check the expiration date of products so as not to use expired items
• Never mix cleaning products together, or bleach (chlorine) with ammonia or any other product
• For disinfection, household solutions (ready to use) with an alcohol concentration of at least 70% are recommended
• The disinfectant solution and the concentration of the active agent should be chosen to suit the surfaces you intend to disinfect. The solution should not damage the surfaces nor have toxic effects on the people present in that space
• In areas with high foot traffic, you can opt for a disinfectant dispenser or a disinfectant dosing unit
• Keep children and pets away from the disinfected area, both during the disinfection process and until the surfaces have dried and no longer emit the specific disinfectant odor
• Ventilate areas where you use disinfectants very well and close containers tightly after use to avoid any type of accident
• Avoid spraying too close to the ventilation openings of electrical equipment, as sprayed droplets can cause issues with electrical equipment· Follow the action (contact) time of the disinfectant used, according to the manufacturer's instructions specified on the product label. Wiping the surface earlier than the recommended duration will make disinfection ineffective, while exceeding the recommended duration will likely cause discoloration or damage to the surface over time.
• Apply a sufficient amount of product to the surface you wish to disinfect
• When disinfecting surfaces, consider using microfiber or cotton materials or disposable wipes

How to correctly choose the best disinfectant solutions

When you want to choose the best disinfectants, it is good to consider the following aspects:

• Product effectiveness
• Disinfectant action time
• Safety of using certain substances and the surfaces on which the disinfectants will be used
• Type of disinfectant solutions
• Ease of use
• Products should be approved by competent authorities

To be effective, a disinfectant must contain one or more substances that act directly on the targeted microorganism in an active concentration. The action of each disinfectant is mentioned on the product label. A biocide with "bactericidal" action contains substances that act against bacteria, while one with "virucidal" action contains substances that act against viruses. A disinfectant may act against several types of organisms, and this is mentioned on the product label.