As organizations navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and determine the safest way to go about their business, COVID exposures are inevitable. Many organizations aren’t sure what to do following a positive COVID case at their building, but the steps are relatively straightforward. If you’re ever uncertain, it’s always recommended to reach out to a professional cleaning company for guidance on COVID disinfection services.
Disinfecting Your Facility From COVID-19: A Step-by-Step Guide
When someone at your organization is diagnosed with COVID-19, you should follow these steps to properly clean and disinfect your building.
Note: If the infected individual has not visited or used the facility in more than seven days, additional cleaning and disinfection are not necessary as long as you already have a regular facility cleaning and disinfection program in place.
Step 1: Quarantine
Following a COVID exposure at your building, the first step you need to take is to ensure the individual leaves the premises as quickly and directly as possible without touching anything or anyone. Once the individual is off the premises, you need to close off all indoor areas and spaces they used.
Step 2: Air It Out
With the exposed areas closed off, you now need to open outside doors and windows to air the space out. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend airing out all exposed areas for 24 hours, but if you’re unable to shut down for that long, wait as long as possible.
Step 3: Clean and Disinfect
After the space has been aired out, clean and disinfect the workspace used by the individual for an extended period, including desks, cubicles, offices, and conference rooms. For common areas like bathrooms and break rooms that are already routinely cleaned and disinfected, you do not need to take additional steps.
Step 4: Vacuum and Clean Floors
A final precautionary measure you can take is to vacuum carpets or disinfect hard floor surfaces. If vacuuming, use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter when possible.
Step 5: Reopen
Once the area has been appropriately cleaned and disinfected, it can be reopened immediately, but make sure to continue following an ongoing cleaning and disinfection program at your facility to keep employees and patrons protected.
Tips for Safe COVID Disinfection
As you’re disinfecting after a COVID exposure at your facility, these additional steps can help you prioritize safety for everyone:
- Wear disposable gloves while cleaning and disinfecting.
- Clean surfaces with soap first and then immediately disinfect as instructed by the product label.
- Do not vacuum an area with people in it.
- While vacuuming, turn off any in-room HVAC equipment to avoid contamination.
- Do not deactivate the central HVAC system as it can aid in filtering pathogens as you clean and disinfect.
- To disinfect porous surfaces like carpets, use disinfectants specifically designed for these surfaces.
- A routine cleaning plan makes it easier to safely disinfect your facility following a COVID exposure.
- When in doubt, consult a professional cleaning company for guidance.
What Is the Best Way to Disinfect a Facility Following COVID Exposure?
Right now, the best way to quickly and efficiently disinfect a facility following a positive COVID case is with electrostatic disinfection spraying.
What Is Electrostatic Spraying?
Electrostatic spraying works by electrically charging disinfectant spray droplets and releasing them into the air and on surfaces. The electrically charged disinfectant attracts stray radicals like virus, bacteria, and fungus, clinging to them like static electricity and then deactivating them with the power of the disinfectant.
Unlike many other cleaning methods, electrostatic spraying is equally effective on porous and nonporous surfaces, as well as in the air. It also makes it possible to disinfect hard-to-reach areas that may be impossible to disinfect with conventional cleaning methods. Ultimately, electrostatic spraying takes 50% less time to disinfect than traditional options, is more cost effective, and produces less waste.
Clean With the Latest in COVID Disinfection Technology
Whether you need help disinfecting your facility following a potential COVID exposure or you’re interested in implementing the latest cleaning technology to proactively mitigate the risk of disease transmission, get in touch with The Cleaning Company today. We can often quote our disinfection services over the phone based on square footage alone. Give us a call today for rapid response disinfection in San Diego.
