Know the lingo

There are three types of cleaning processes: cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting. 

• Cleaning removes visible objects from a surface. It can remove germs from the surface, but it won’t kill them. 
• Sanitizing reduces the number of pathogens on a surface and kills nearly all germs.
• Disinfecting kills bacteria, germs, and fungi. The difference between sanitizers and disinfectants is that the latter is proven to kill viruses. 

At Virginia Tech, the housekeeping team uses a two-in-one chemical that both cleans and disinfects to quickly remove dirt and kill germs on surfaces.

“By utilizing a one-step disinfectant cleaner, our housekeeping team is able to be more productive and clean more surfaces more frequently,” said Greg Canaday, associate director for facilities. 

Dwell time

A critical factor for ensuring proper surface disinfecting is being mindful of the dwell time of the chosen chemical. 

Dwell time is the amount of time the chemical sits wet upon a surface before drying. If the full dwell time isn’t reached, potential bacteria, germs, or viruses have not been killed.

“Our housekeeping team is aware of the importance of making sure surfaces contain enough chemical to remain wet for the necessary dwell time,” said Canaday.

For the multi-disinfectant used at Virginia Tech, the dwell time is one minute. But for many household cleaners, it can be longer. “Check the recommended dwell time on the product you’re using at home. Apply enough chemical that the surface remains wet for the necessary dwell time,” said Canaday.

Dwell times vary among household cleaning products and brands. For example, Lysol disinfecting wipes require a dwell time of four minutes to fully disinfect (and kill potential flu viruses) a surface. 

Selecting the right cleaning products

When looking to purchase cleaning products for your residence hall or home, consider using a disinfectant named on the Environmental Protection Agency’s List N: Disenfectants for Coronavirus (COVID-19). These are proven to be effective at killing both COVID-19 and the seasonal flu. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces in your residence hall and home. If you or a visitor in your room or house has the flu or COVID-19, high-touch surfaces should be disinfected after every use.

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Originally Appeared Here