International. Whether businesses and facilities are preparing to reopen after COVID-19 closures, or they're making ongoing efforts to keep their space as clean and sanitized as possible, manufacturer Goodway Technologies offers some tips for keeping surfaces and the indoor environment safer and cleaner for their occupants.
Goodway, which manufactures specialized cleaning and sanitation equipment, has been implementing these steps as they continue to produce solutions for the wide range of industries seeking solutions to keep their employees, customers, and all building occupants safe and healthy.
"Proper sanitation has never been more important than it is now, and it will be a question everyone will ask themselves before entering a facility," says Tim Kane, president and CEO of Goodway Technologies. "It is the responsibility of building owners, maintenance personnel and leadership to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to maintain a healthy environment."
The first thing to keep in mind is the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and disinfecting. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cleaning removes germs and dirt from surfaces and objects, while disinfection uses chemicals to kill germs and reduce the risk of spreading infection. Disinfection goes a step further to bring the number of germs to a safe level according to public health standards.
When using disinfectant and disinfectant products, Goodway recommends making sure they are EPA-registered (applies for the United States) and then reading the label in its entirety, paying special attention to the surface contact times needed to kill certain germs and viruses. Using a product in a different way than its labeling can drastically reduce its effectiveness.
Perform deep cleaning and sanitation
Here are Goodway Technologies' recommendations for achieving a complete cleanup:
- Get behind production and packaging machinery, tool chests and storage areas, as these areas can develop a buildup of fluids, garbage and other waste.
- Clean the walls to remove dust and residual debris. Buildup on walls can reduce indoor air quality and affect the quality of the products being produced.
- Be sure to clean the top of the lighting fixtures and remove residual dust.
- Drains are an area where bacteria can accumulate and should be included with a deep cleaning. The best solutions for cleaning drains include chemicals or the use of steam solutions.
- All surfaces (both upper and lower) in rest rooms or high-traffic areas should be cleaned.
- Any electronics that are generally not clean or disinfected in depth due to their sensitivity need special attention. It is better to clean and disinfect them with alcohol-based products, which are quick drying.
Cleaning and maintenance of HVAC systems
Here are a few things to keep in mind when cleaning and maintaining your HVAC system:
- Coil cleaning: Without proper cleaning, the air conditioning coils in the air controllers can become a hot spot for mold and mildew growth. Both are to blame for poor indoor air quality.
- Cleaning of air ducts: since the surfaces of the ducts are usually hidden, they are easy to forget. This means they often accumulate dust, pollen, mold and more, and this debris can accumulate in the coils and recirculate in the air. There are several tools available for duct cleaning, such as vacuum cleaners, stirring devices, and duct insulation equipment.
Cooling tower cleaning: Cooling towers can also be a breeding ground for Legionella and other harmful bacteria. If a tower is infected with bacteria, it can spread to indoor air through ventilation and doors/entrances and could affect outside air quality in the surrounding area. Cleaning the cooling tower helps prevent the buildup of sediment, scale, and silt, which can be cleaned with specialized cooling tower vacuum cleaners to avoid shutting down or draining the system.
Cooling tower water treatments: Outside air entering the tower can become contaminated, which can increase bacterial growth. Chemical water treatments can protect against these problems and control the growth of harmful bacteria; however, they should be used in conjunction with mechanical cleaning methods.
