COVID Home Safety Measures

COVID-19 has changed brought about a lot of changes in our life. The uncertainties caused by the virus have changed a lot of things, not just in politics and the global economy but in our day-to-day activities. Our cleaning habits are no exception! With years of experience in the cleaning industry, experts at Alpha Cleaning Corporation are sharing some tips for protective cleaning according to government regulations. 

Health care cleaning is an approach to cleaning that aims to reduce or eliminate microbial contamination within the environment. that results in the elimination of, or a significant reduction in, microbial contamination of all surfaces and items within the environment, in addition to providing a visually clean environment. Here are some tips from our cleaning experts:

Frequency of routine cleaning

Clients/patients/residents contaminate their immediate environment with microorganisms through direct contact and the shedding of skin squames. Contamination of the environment increases when clients/patients/residents cough, sneeze or have diarrhea, large or draining wounds, extensive dermatitis, or other severe skin conditions. While this contamination is concentrated in the vicinity of the client/patient/resident and the areas used by the client/patient/resident, further spread of microorganisms occurs when the hands or gloves of staff become contaminated, either via direct contact with the client/patient/resident or through contact with the contaminated environment. Staff can then transfer these microorganisms to other items and surfaces within the client/patient/resident environment, and if appropriate hand hygiene is not performed, may carry these microorganisms to other clients/patients/residents, to other client/patient/resident’s environments or other areas of the health care environment. Given the potential for surfaces and items to become contaminated with microorganisms, all areas, surfaces, and items within care areas of the health care setting require cleaning on a routine basis.

High and low surfaces

Although any surface may become contaminated, the risk and extent of contamination are greater for surfaces and items handled frequently by the hands or gloves of staff or clients/patients/residents than surfaces that are less regularly held or touched. Thus, surfaces within the health care setting and the patient’s environment can be classified as high- and low-touch surfaces, as follows: High-touch surfaces have frequent contact with hands. Examples include (but are not limited to) doorknobs, elevator buttons, telephones, light switches, toilet flushes, and monitoring equipment. The specific surfaces considered high touch would vary between healthcare settings. Low-touch surfaces are those that have minimal contact with hands. Examples include (but are not limited to) floors, walls, ceilings, mirrors, and windowsills. High-touch surfaces in care areas require more frequent cleaning and disinfection than minimal contact surfaces. Cleaning and disinfection should be performed at least daily and more frequently if environmental contamination is higher. Low-touch surfaces require regular cleaning when soiling or spills occur. For many low-touch surfaces, cleaning may occur less often than once per day (e.g., every other day, weekly) as long as such surfaces are cleaned sooner if visibly soiled.

Cleaning closet

Equipment and supplies for environmental cleaning must be appropriately and safely used, transported, maintained, and cleaned. This room is used for storing, preparing and disposing of cleaning supplies and equipment. In addition, the housekeeping closet must be dedicated to a cleaning supply room where a cleaning solution is prepared, and a dirty cleaning solution is disposed of and must not be used for other purposes. The cleaning closet should be maintained following good hygiene practices and have a dedicated hand washing sink with hot and cold running water. Shall have access to an eyewash station. Shall have appropriate personal protective equipment available, including safety eyewear

Bathroom cleaning

Bathrooms should be cleaned last, after completing room cleaning, following the principle of cleaning from clean to dirty. Daily cleaning of the bathroom is a minimum. Additionally, immediate cleaning is required when there are spills, or gross contamination of room surfaces is identified.

For bathrooms with infrequent usage, cleaning may take place less frequently. It must be disinfected with a sporicidal agent. Must be often inspected and re-cleaned whenever necessary (e.g., during high usage times, outbreaks, or when visibly soiled). It must be cleaned more frequently based on identified needs. Bathrooms may be located outside care areas (e.g., public washrooms). However, bathrooms are at high risk of microbial contamination, requiring healthcare cleaning.

Floor Care

Floor cleaning consists of dry dust mopping to remove dust and debris, followed by wet mopping with a detergent to clean. Floors are low-touch surfaces that rarely come in contact with the hands of patients/residents or health care providers; under normal circumstances, the use of a disinfectant is not required.

Dry mopping is done to collect dust and debris from the floor to prepare it for wet mopping. Dry mopping may be done with microfibre mops or pads to reduce the dispersal of dust and debris. A fresh mop pad should be used for each room. Wet mopping can be done using a bucket and loop mop or microfibre mop.

Carpet Care

Carpeting should not be used within the care areas of healthcare facilities. For facilities that still need to remove all carpeting from care areas, there should be a plan for permanent removal of carpeting. In the meantime, a rigorous carpet care program should include daily vacuuming with a HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaner and scheduled extraction/shampooing rapid response for dealing with spills of blood, body fluids or other liquids.

Non-critical medical equipment

Non-critical medical equipment in health care settings should be cleaned with a detergent or a low-level one-step cleaner/disinfectant, depending on the type of equipment. The manufacturer’s recommended contact time for the used product must be followed closely.

Hand washing sinks

Hand hygiene sinks can become contaminated if used improperly or not regularly cleaned and disinfected. Contaminated hand hygiene sinks and other sinks within the healthcare environment have been associated with outbreaks, including outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant organisms. Outbreaks occurred due to poor sink design, use of a hand hygiene sink for purposes other than hand hygiene, or suboptimal sink cleaning practices. If sink drains become contaminated, decontaminating the sink can be difficult, likely due to biofilm. Some facilities have reported success in terminating their outbreaks by disinfecting the sinks with acetic acid, chlorine-based disinfectants, heat, or some self-decontaminating drain systems.

In many cases, facilities have reported that their outbreaks were not controlled until the implicated sinks (and parts) were replaced. Given these concerns, hand hygiene sinks and other sinks within the healthcare environment are regularly cleaned and disinfected. When cleaning sinks, it is essential to clean from the least Appendix.

Contact our team for more COVID-related cleaning information and cleaning services!