The Art of Cleaning and Disinfecting High-Touch Surfaces
Commercial spaces are held to high standards by regulatory bodies, employees, and consumers alike. Creating a clean, hygienic, and safe environment is crucial to protecting not just your company’s reputation but its productivity, too.
In recent years, the expectations of commercial companies have evolved. They must adhere to stringent guidelines when it comes to virus, infection, and disease control. The pandemic has increased focus on the danger of allowing germs and pathogens to thrive, particularly in high-traffic areas.
Companies must ensure they’re investing in regular cleaning services that target risky, high-touch surfaces. These are necessary to minimize the risk of contamination and eliminate harmful bacteria. Here’s your guide to disinfecting and sanitizing high-touch surfaces in the commercial space.
What are High-Touch Surfaces?
High-touch surfaces are everywhere in the modern commercial space. They’re the areas or objects that receive regular contact from a wide range of individuals, including employees, visitors, and consumers. While these surfaces are often essential, they can also be germ and virus breeding grounds when not properly maintained.
Every industry and business has specific high-touch areas and environments to consider. In a healthcare facility, high-touch surfaces like water dispensers and door handles must be cleaned to reduce the spread of infection and diseases. Within food service and hospitality sectors, cleaning high-touch surfaces protects the health of both patrons and staff.
In the educational industry, cleaning and disinfection help to eliminate infectious diseases. A clean environment is one where faculty, administrators, and students can thrive. For public transportation companies, regular cleaning of chairs and handrails is essential to protecting passengers. Even in the manufacturing and industrial landscape, surfaces and electronic equipment need to be properly maintained to reduce risk.
While the high-touch surfaces in any environment can vary, some common options include:
- Shared machinery and electronic equipment
- Countertops and worksurfaces
- Handrails
- Elevator buttons
- Computer keyboards
- Light switches
- Doorknobs and door handles
- Restroom fixtures
- Restroom surfaces
Cleaning vs. Disinfecting: The Difference
When it comes to maintaining commercial environments and minimizing infection, understanding the difference between cleaning and disinfecting is crucial. Cleaning focuses on the removal of visible dirt, debris, and dust from surfaces. Disinfecting targets the elimination of disease-causing microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses.
Both cleaning and disinfecting are indispensable to maintaining high-touch surfaces and commercial environments. What’s more, both processes need to be managed professionally. Experts understand which materials, strategies, and technologies to use in the given environment.
Professional cleaning companies like Pritchard help businesses select the right services for their needs. With years of experience, professional cleaners know when to use a microfiber cloth or UV light, which disinfectant to choose from, and more.
Implementing a Surface Cleaning and Disinfecting Program
While an effective approach to cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces has always been important in the commercial landscape, it has grown increasingly crucial in recent years. The Covid pandemic introduced unique challenges. As a result, regulatory bodies have implemented stricter standards for business leaders to adhere to.
Rigorous disinfection protocols help commercial companies comply with the latest health and safety regulations. Additionally, they’re essential to eliminating infectious diseases. To implement an effective program, companies and administrators should:
- Step 1: Assess high-touch surfaces. Find and identify the risky high-touch surfaces in your organization. Determine which methods of cleaning and disinfection are necessary for each surface and implement cleaning schedules and resources accordingly.
- Step 2: Gather the right supplies. Effective cleaning of high-touch surfaces requires the use of professional cleaning products and personal protective equipment (PPE). The right commercial-grade products should form the foundation of your program.
- Step 3: Develop cleaning protocols. Using the guidelines for health and safety compliance set in your industry, develop routine cleaning protocols. Each industry has specific guidelines to follow for cleaning frequency, disinfection procedures, and product use.
- Step 4: Hire professionals. Hire professionals with a deep understanding of the cleaning requirements of your industry. The right professionals will follow stringent quality control measures and deliver consistent expertise.
- Step 5: Monitor and adjust. Oversee the success of the program and be ready to adapt. Watch for changes in public health guidelines and adhere to seasonal variations.
Remember, the best way to ensure success is to outsource your cleaning and disinfection program. Companies like Pritchard bring unique knowledge, advanced tools, and diligence to the process. They have the capacity to execute your program with precision and focus.
Disinfecting Services from Pritchard
At Pritchard, we understand how important effective cleaning is for high-touch surfaces. For decades, we’ve stood as a leader in the commercial cleaning industry. Our specialty is in maintaining clean and safe business environments.
We work with a wide range of companies and adapt our cleaning processes to suit your specific needs. What’s more, our expert teams consistently follow stringent cleaning protocols. Our processes include preparing the area for cleaning and using the latest disinfection technologies to eliminate germs and pathogens.
At the end of each cleaning session, careful inspection ensures no germ is overlooked. We even offer specialist green cleaning options to companies with a focus on sustainability. Whatever your needs, Pritchard can work with you to guarantee excellent results.
Don’t underestimate the importance of clean, high-touch surfaces in your commercial business. Contact Pritchard today to learn how we can help you create a safe, hygienic, and professional environment for both your visitors and employees.