How A Professional Office Cleaning Company Prevents The Spread Of Viruses
A professional office cleaning company can play a vital role in controlling the spread of viruses.
Every year people get sick from the flu and other viruses. When people are unable to report to work it causes millions of dollars of lost profits for companies in BC.
How Do Viruses Spread?
WebMd says “Viruses spread from person to person mainly in droplets that fly out when you cough or sneeze. These tiny drops from a sick person go through the air and land on the mouths or noses of others nearby.
Germs are also passed along when you touch mucus droplets from someone else on a surface like a desk and then touch your own eyes, mouth, or nose before you get a chance to wash your hands. Viruses like the flu can live 24 hours or longer on plastic and metal surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and cups.”
Unfortunately, the flu virus isn’t the only virus that can spread easily.
The Spread Of Diseases In An Office Environment Is Worse Than You May Think
The BMC Infectious Diseases Journal published a study in 2006 saying “The most common nosocomial pathogens may survive or persist on surfaces for months and can thereby be a continuous source of transmission if no regular preventive surface disinfection is performed.”
This study was done in a hospital environment and shows the long-lasting power of severe, even deadly viruses. Shari Solomon, president of CleanHealth Environmental LLC, Silver Spring, Maryland says “Over the past few years, a number of infections that we always considered hospital-acquired infections, such as MRSA and C.diff (a bacterium that causes diarrhea and colitis), have become community-acquired infections, as well,”
Not only are superbugs becoming more resistant to antibiotic drugs. Antibiotic-resistant infections are typically spread when people touch a contaminated surface and then touch their mouth, eyes or nose. This is why handwashing and cleaning of high-touch surfaces is imperative.
Offices Are Prime Locations For The Spread Of Diseases
The possibility of spreading disease is especially high in facilities where people live or work in close proximity to each other.
A growing number of people are choosing not to get vaccinated and showing up at work or school when they are sick. This increases the risk of spreading the illness exponentially.
Professional Office Cleaning Solutions
Manual disinfecting methods have their limitations. Commercial office cleaning company workers who are trying to conform to a schedule may miss contaminated surfaces or skimp on the time spent on cleaning due to scheduling pressures.
Technology Based Solutions For Disinfecting An Office
Innovative technologies combined with training programs on how to use the technology properly can provide safer, better coverage in a shorter period of time than traditional disinfecting methods. For example:
- Electrostatics can cover large areas and hard to reach surfaces quickly and efficiently.
- In hospitals, copper-treated surfaces have been found to reduce a number of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).
- Chemicals remain on the surface for a much longer time when spraying disinfectants using electrostatics.
Non-Technology Based Solutions To Get Better Office Cleaning
Commercial janitorial services technology offers some great options for getting the best cleaning possible, but quite often what you need is an experienced cleaning professional with the right tools and training. Here are some examples of what to look for in a well-managed commercial cleaning company:
- Custodial workers should be trained to identify cleaning areas that may not get enough attention in regular daily cleanings.
- Cleaning hot-spots should get special attention based on a schedule instead of waiting for the dirt to become obvious before someone pays attention to it.
- Cleaning and disinfecting should be done every day.
- A more thorough, rigorous deep-cleaning should be scheduled on regular basis.
- Schedule workloads for janitorial staff so they have enough time to give personal attention to areas based on their judgment.
- Use “Green Cleaning” products instead of caustic disinfectants for sanitizing and disinfecting in the least toxic way.
- Avoid bleach based cleaners which can cause irritation and respiratory problems.
- If there is an outbreak of sickness spreading through the office, get a special “office deep cleaning” done asap! You’ll be surprised how quickly you can stop the spread of an illness.
- Institute a color-coded system of microfiber to help prevent cross-contamination.
Professional Office Cleaning Company Offers Safer Alternatives
Although it is true that “people get sick all the time” a professional office cleaning company can do a lot to keep your staff and clients safe.
Evergreen Building Maintenance specializes in office cleaning. We use green cleaning solutions to sanitize and disinfect your office environment. With over 30 years experience in the commercial cleaning business, we have cleaning crews that have several years of experience.
Using in-class and on-site training protocols, we are constantly training and equipping our cleaning professionals with the latest technologies to give you a safe environment.
Call now for a free, confidential office cleaning and building maintenance quote from a professional office cleaning company: 1-888-559-6870 or 250-999-2796