COVID19 Cleaning
Kris / Krzysztof Kuran
Director of Business Development @ Premium Restoration | Emergency Restoration
Cleaning of Touch points during COVID19
The first step in cleaning and sanitizing to break the chain of COVID-19 illnesses from secondary surfaces is to remove soil and other surface contaminants. Emphasis should be placed on cleaning surfaces more likely to be touched by occupants; commonly referred to as touch points. Since people are not precise when touching objects, touch point cleaning should extend past the focused item 3-12 inches. Common touch points include, but are not limited to, door knobs and locks, door push bars, door edges and jambs on the side opposite the hinges, stair and ramp hand railings, cupboard handles and drawer pulls, appliance handles, light switches, table and desktops, telephones, toilet seats and flush handles, faucet handles, soap pumps, keyboards and mice, elevator buttons, credit card keypads, vending machine buttons, equipment controls, television remote controls, chair armrests, bed rails, and counter tops.
Touch points will also vary by the type of facility being cleaned. Pew tops and armrests, communion rails, confessional kneelers, altars, and holy water dispensers are touch points that need cleaning in churches. Toys, books, and teaching supplies will need attention in schools. Medical facilities will require an additional focus on wheel chair handles and wheel grips, computer stations, IV poles, divider curtains, blood pressure equipment, bed stands, food delivery carts, laundry and trash containers, and nurse call buttons. While not a touch point that typically gets addressed by the restoration contractor, clients should be advised to remind occupants to frequently clean their cell phones and other mobile devices during pandemics and times of increased disease transmission.
Typically, a trigger sprayer and a wiping cloth are used for cleaning most touch points. In that circumstance, spraying the cloth and then wiping is preferable to spraying the surface.
If it is an allowable application method under the EPA registration for the particular chemical, substituting pump up devices that deliver the chemical product as a foam is a technique that has multiple advantages over a sprayer for cleaning touch points. A foam application allows the worker to see what has been covered, allows the product to stay on the surface longer without drying, and uses significantly less of the cleaning product. For facilities with a large number of desks, tables, or counters, using a foam applicator and squeegee to remove the residue into a rag or disposable towel is another efficient cleaning method.
The specific examples provided in this section should not be considered the best methods as each situation presents its own challenges. Each project should be evaluated for procedure and methods that are appropriate to meet the goals of the client. Proper touch point cleaning includes developing a facility specific checklist of critical touch points, providing the checklist to workers with training on the particular products and application methods to be used, and allowing adequate dwell time for the cleaner/sanitizer.
Safe, Stay Home
Kris Kuran
Director Business Development, Premium Restoration Ltd.
Cell: 778.231.4447
212-6901 72nd Street, Delta, BC, V4G 0A2
110-30799 Simpson Road, Abbotsford, BC, V2T 6X4
24 hr Emergency Line 604.943.7673