There is no doubt these last few weeks have raised questions we never thought we would need to ask. And, with this uncertainty, there doesn’t seem to be many answers, either.
We keep hearing “buzzwords” such as social distancing, deep cleaning, N-95 PPE; all of these go hand in hand. But what actually IS deep cleaning? The fact is no one can really tell us. So I have set out, as my personal mission, to help set some guidelines.
People loosely, and I mean loosely, interchange deep cleaning with sanitizing and disinfecting. However, each has its own distinctive characteristics apart from the other.
Cleaning
PRO: Cleaning is the manual process of removing allergens and microorganisms from the surfaces of the indoor environment. Simply put, removing dust and dirt on surfaces. Deep cleaning is just a more thorough cleaning. During a deep clean, you spend more time scrubbing and wiping hard-to-reach surfaces, but is it really that much more effective?
CON: Cross-contamination. The mopping solution and the cleaning tools could be spreading disease in the absence of a germicide.
CON: I’m going to throw in deep cleaning to this mix. Truly though, a deep clean is nothing more than cleaning with a few added areas that aren’t covered by regular cleaning. For example, blinds, and cabinets. Deep cleaning does not make the action more effective than a regular cleaning.
Sanitizing & Disinfecting
PRO: Sanitizing and disinfecting on the other hand is the killing of nearly 100% of germs, bacteria, viruses on surfaces or objects.
CON: Most people use harsh chemicals to perform this function, putting volatile organic compounds into the environment and on surfaces of a home or business. You cannot just wipe and go, the solution must sit on the surface for a specified amount of time to be effective.
So, in my opinion, it is a complete misconception and the general public is being misled that a simple cleaning or deep cleaning of an office or home is effective against viruses such as COVID-19.
To quote a statement by Mr. Zak Khoshbin, president of Pur360:
“Why would a facility manager compromise on properly disinfecting the office or warehouse space? Are they truly making the best decision for their company and employees with manual cleaning? Our process is 3,000 times more effective than a deep cleaning using a chlorine-based product.”
Prior to bringing employees back to work, or in putting together a COVID-19 plan of action, know the facts. The process you are choosing may not be performing the way you think it is.
