Cleaning and disinfecting play a crucial role in preventing the spread of infectious diseases in the workplace. To help reduce the transmission, it's important to cover your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue, regularly wash your hands, and ensure that sick individuals stay away from others. It's crucial to inform employees that if they feel unwell, they should stay home from work. Here are some helpful tips on how to effectively slow the spread of germs through cleaning and disinfection practices.
1. Know the difference between cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing.
Cleaning is an important step in getting rid of germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces and objects. When we clean, we use soap or detergent and water to physically remove germs from the surfaces. Although cleaning alone may not kill all the germs, it helps to lower their numbers and reduces the risk of spreading infections. So, by cleaning regularly, we can keep our surroundings cleaner and safer.
Disinfecting is a process that helps eliminate germs on surfaces or objects. It involves using chemicals to kill the germs that may be present. However, it's important to note that disinfecting alone does not clean dirty surfaces or remove germs. Instead, it focuses on eradicating germs after cleaning. By disinfecting surfaces after cleaning, we can effectively reduce the risk of spreading infections, as it ensures that any remaining germs are destroyed, promoting a safer and healthier environment.
Sanitizing is a crucial step in reducing the presence of germs on surfaces or objects to a safe level, as determined by public health standards. It involves either cleaning or disinfecting surfaces to lower the risk of spreading infections. By sanitizing, we ensure that the number of germs is significantly reduced, creating a safer environment that meets the necessary health requirements and promotes well-being.
2. Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that are touched often.
Follow your organization’s standard procedures for routine cleaning and disinfecting. Typically, this means daily sanitizing surfaces and objects that are touched often,
Immediately clean surfaces and objects that are visibly soiled. If surfaces or objects are soiled with body fluids or blood, use gloves and other standard precautions to avoid coming into contact with the fluid. Remove the spill, and then clean and disinfect the surface.
3. Simply do routine cleaning and disinfecting.
It's crucial to tailor your cleaning and disinfecting practices to target specific types of germs you want to eliminate. Research indicates that certain viruses can only survive and infect individuals for a limited period, typically 2 to 8 hours, after being deposited on a surface. Therefore, there is no need to shut down organizations and thoroughly clean every surface in the building to slow down the spread of germs. Additionally, if employees are absent due to an outbreak like the flu, it is unnecessary to engage in extra cleaning and disinfecting measures. It's important to focus on appropriate cleaning strategies based on the specific germs and situations to ensure a safe and healthy environment.
Most viruses are not very resilient and can be effectively eliminated through regular cleaning and disinfecting routines. You don't need to go to extra lengths like wiping walls and ceilings, using air deodorizers too often, or resorting to fumigation. In fact, these intensive processes can actually be harmful and cause irritation to your eyes, nose, throat, and skin. They can even worsen conditions like asthma and lead to other severe side effects. Stick to standard cleaning practices to keep your environment safe and healthy.
4. Clean and disinfect correctly.
It's important to carefully read and follow the instructions provided on cleaning products and disinfectants. When cleaning surfaces, make sure to follow the guidelines recommended by the manufacturer to effectively remove germs. After cleaning, rinse the surface with water, and then use an EPA-registered disinfectant to kill any remaining germs. When choosing a disinfectant, check the label to ensure that it has been approved by the EPA and is effective against the specific viruses you are targeting.
If a surface appears clean and doesn't have visible dirt or grime, you can use a cleaning product that is both registered with the EPA and has the ability to clean and disinfect at the same time. Make sure to read the instructions on the product label carefully, as there might be different instructions for using it as a cleaner or as a disinfectant. When disinfecting, it's important to let the product sit on the surface for a specific amount of time as indicated on the label.
5. Use products safely.
Always take the hazard warnings and directions on product labels seriously. When using cleaning products and disinfectants, they may recommend wearing gloves or eye protection for your safety. For instance, it's important to wear gloves to protect your hands when handling bleach solutions..
Never mix different cleaners and disinfectants unless the labels explicitly state that it is safe to do so. Mixing certain products, like chlorine bleach and ammonia cleaners, can lead to severe harm or even fatal consequences.
Make sure that anyone using cleaning and disinfecting products reads and comprehends all the instructions and understands how to use them safely and correctly. It may be necessary to provide instructional materials and training in different languages to ensure understanding among all users.
6. Handle waste properly.
When it comes to handling waste, stick to your regular procedures, which may involve wearing gloves. Put no-touch waste baskets in convenient locations for easy use. Dispose of disposable items, such as tissues or cleaning materials, right away in the trash. Avoid touching used tissues or waste when emptying the baskets. After emptying waste baskets or coming into contact with used tissues or similar waste, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
What Needs to Be Done
To keep food safe from contamination, it is important to thoroughly clean and sanitize all areas including facilities, equipment, vehicles, washrooms, and surfaces that come into contact with food. This helps to remove any dirt, bacteria, or other harmful substances that could potentially contaminate the food and cause illness. By following proper cleaning and sanitizing practices, you can ensure that the food remains safe for consumption.
How to Do It?
Identify what needs to be cleaned and sanitized.
Areas of food handling and storage, equipments that are used for preparation of food and food products require stringent level of cleaning and sanitizing.
Cleaning can be achieved to desired results, when cleaned with clean water; power washing with hot water and detergent followed by disinfecting, followed by a final clean water rinse.
Develop written practices. Generally written practices are developed when:
· Concentrated chemicals are mixed and used.
· Detailed instructions must be given to remove residues from equipment or surfaces.
· Pre-determined frequencies for cleaning and sanitizing must be followed.
· There are unique cleaning standards as per the applications (for example, flushing mixers of livestock medicated feeds).
Follow and maintain:
· Identify who is responsible for cleaning, area wise, and equipment wise.
· Specify the frequency of cleaning on daily, weekly and monthly basis.
· Provide the appropriate tools required to do the job (for example, gloves, buckets, brushes).
· Specify cleaning task product wise, mention the cleaning contact time, specify the water temperature, quality parameters and rinsing steps.
· Describe how to clean and sanitize. Include SOP’s and instructions on how to disassemble and reassemble equipment where ever necessary.
Choose the right cleaning and sanitizing products. Make sure each product is approved for the intended use and mixed at the correct concentration. Ask your suppliers for appropriate cleaning and sanitizing products, or refer to the operational manual.
Make sure products are safe for use on the surface being cleaned. The best source for product use information is the manufacturer’s manual in general:
Surface Material Precautions on Stainless Steel:
Use mild, non-abrasive cleaners. The corrosive properties of stainless steel vary with grade; it will corrode when exposed to strong alkalis, acids or chlorine.
Galvanized Metal
Galvanized steel will corrode when exposed to alkaline or acidic detergents.
Nickel alloys
Any alkali may be used.
Plastics
Plastic is a diverse material with many different types available. In most cases, plastic is resistant to corrosion, making it a durable option. However, it can be damaged by organic solvents. If you are unsure about the compatibility of a plastic product with certain substances, it is best to seek guidance from the manufacturer to ensure its safe and proper use.
Rubber
Using strong alkalis is a viable option for cleaning, but it's important to note that rubber surfaces can be harmed when they come into contact with acidic detergents or detergents that contain organic solvents. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid using such cleaners on rubber surfaces to prevent damage.
Tin, copper
Certain alkalis can lead to corrosion, so it's important to be cautious. To minimize the corrosive effects, it is recommended to use slightly alkaline detergents that contain silicates. It's worth noting that exposure to chlorine can also cause some corrosion.
Aluminum
Be careful when using alkalis and acids on aluminum surfaces as they can cause damage. If you need to use alkalis, make sure they have low alkalinity and contain silicates. Avoid using chlorine on aluminum.
Wood
Wood is a porous material that can be challenging to clean. To clean wood effectively, use gentle detergents and make sure to rinse the surface thoroughly. It is important to avoid using strong acids or alkalis, as they can potentially damage the wood.
Iron drains
Use moderately alkaline cleaners, as acidic ones are corrosive.
Painted surfaces
Strong alkaline detergents will deteriorate painted surfaces.
Concrete
To ensure that rough and porous surfaces are easily cleanable, it is recommended to apply a smooth, impermeable coating that is approved by CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency). When cleaning these surfaces, it is best to use alkaline cleaners instead of acid cleaners, as acid cleaners can cause corrosion on concrete floors.
Use cleaning and sanitizing products properly.
· Mix cleaning and/or sanitizing products according to directions of the manufacturer.
· Follow label instructions for use. These may include thorough rinsing with potable water to remove residues.
· Properly label containers for handling, mixing and storing cleaning and sanitizing products. Clean or rinse containers properly when finished.
Cleaning Terms:
Cleaning: The removal of dirt, dust, manure and chemical residues from surfaces. This can be as simple as removing manure from a pen, or a two-step process beginning by removing dirt with soap and water by various methods (e.g. power washer, scrub brush) and then rinsing with water.
Sanitizing: A process whereby a clean surface is coated with an approved chemical solution/water mix to kill or reduce pathogens.
