Partner Facility Solutions
There is a distinct difference between cleaning and disinfecting, with the latter being the most thorough of the two. Workplaces see high traffic throughout the day from many different people, which means a combination of varying germs, waste, and debris is accumulated throughout the facility daily. Daily cleaning is essential to maintaining the general look and feel of a clean workplace, but fully disinfecting core, high-traffic surfaces is essential to maintaining workplace health and safety. Knowing which areas to disinfect versus clean can be tricky, and to make it easier we have pinpointed the top surfaces that you should be disinfecting in your workplace.
Possibly one of the most obvious areas of high traffic: doorways see every single person who enters and leaves the facility or room, because of this they should be disinfected regularly. You should begin by disinfecting the door handles, as they are frequently touched by everyone. Depending on what type of doors you may have, for example, if your workplace has “push” doors everywhere, we recommend disinfecting the entire door to ensure that you cover the entirety of where people come into contact with the surface. Disinfecting your entrances and exits also cuts down on the number of germs and debris that enter the rest of the workplace as well, essentially checking them at the door.
The service areas in most workplaces include the shared use of pens and countertops, as well as computers such as registers or reception areas. These areas typically see traffic from internal and external members of the workplace (such as customers), increasing the pool of germs and debris being introduced to the surfaces. We recommend disinfecting these types of surfaces regularly throughout the day to promote optimal health and safety in your workplace. When disinfecting countertops, ensure that you are using the right disinfectant for the surface type and that you are getting the entirety of the surface. In settings where you need to offer writing utensils to your visitors, we highly suggest having a designated “clean” bin for freshly disinfected materials and a “used” bin for pens that have already been used and await disinfection before being reused.
When it comes to shared technology, the disinfecting process can be more complicated to avoid damaging the components. Research has shown that computer keyboards alone can harbor about 3,000 bacteria per square inch, making them a hotspot for disinfecting. If you have a computer that needs to be disinfected, it is important to be cautious of how much product you are using and how you are applying and spreading it. We suggest dampening a microfiber cloth with your desired disinfectant and then lightly wiping the surface without adding excessive pressure. This will disinfect against germs and contaminants without over-saturating the surface and damaging the technology. Technological components are often overlooked when it comes to disinfecting, but they are an essential surface to cover when trying to promote a cleaner, healthier workplace.
Although this should not be surprising, it is important that you are thorough when disinfecting your workplace restroom surfaces. Obviously, you must disinfect surfaces such as the toilets and stalls themselves, entryways, sinks and countertops, and floors, but complete coverage includes many other areas you may not be aware of. Other high-touch bathroom surfaces that you should be disinfecting include paper product dispensers – switching to touchless options is optimal, but when that is not possible, make sure that knobs, levers, and buttons are being disinfected regularly. Similarly, any assistive railing or alternative surfaces, such as changing tables or waiting benches, should be disinfected routinely to reduce the number of germs present in the restrooms themselves and cut down on the levels of germs and hazards being tracked out and around the workplace.
The flow of traffic in your workplace will vary depending on your industry and what your operations are, but every facility still has core areas that should be regularly disinfected to promote a healthy and safe workplace. Although your facility may not have all of the areas noted above, identifying your high-traffic areas and disinfecting them regularly is key to reducing the level of bacteria and germs present. This makes the workplace safer for your staff and guests and gives you all peace of mind that you have taken the necessary precautions to ensure that you are promoting a healthy workplace. Establishing a schedule for disinfection in your workplace can be difficult, and a professional commercial facility cleaner can provide you with complete coverage that disinfects and protects the entire space. Not only do they know the core surfaces that need to be disinfected, but they can also identify additional areas that need extra attention and that an untrained eye would have overlooked. If you are ready to take your workplace disinfection to the next level, reach out to Partner Solutions Facility Services to get started!
With over 30 years of owners’ combined experience, Partner Facility Solutions has come together to create a company model that believes superior quality service can’t be compromised. Extensive training with intelligent supervision and ownership helps us keep a clear vision of our goals and commitment. Give us a call today for a free consultation and let us be the solution for your facility’s needs. We look forward to forming a partnership with you.
