by Shane Henson — February 11, 2013—With influenza cases officially reaching epidemic proportions in the United States, ITW Professional Brands, a manufacturer of products for industrial and institutional hygiene markets around the world, is reminding cleaning professionals that they can make important contributions to slow the spread of the virus.
Workplaces can be a haven for viruses such as the flu, given the sheer number of employees and visitors to buildings. To help mitigate the risk of building inhabitants getting sick, ITW Professional Brands reminds cleaning professionals to:
- Disinfect surfaces in high-traffic areas: Ensure that high-touch surfaces such as door handles, desks, keyboards and phones are disinfected regularly. Use a true disinfectant, at the proper dilution and dwell time, and increase the cleaning frequencies on high-touch surfaces during the flu season to protect guests and staff against infection.
- Deep clean restrooms: Whether it’s in a facility or in a food-service setting, the buildup of harmful microorganisms in restrooms can easily transfer to a person’s hands and cause illness. Thoroughly disinfect restroom surfaces, deep clean in all corners, and disinfect grout lines, walls, sinks, faucets and toilets.
- Know the difference between cleaning and disinfecting: Cleaning removes visible soil, dirt, stains and other debris from surface, while disinfecting destroys viruses, bacteria, germs and other harmful microorganisms. Focusing on disinfecting during times of elevated illness transmission is important in controlling the spread of viruses.
- Encourage the use of pre-moistened wipes in break rooms: Providing pre-moistened wipes in break rooms and other areas of a building reduces the chance of cross-contamination in areas where employees gather each day.
- Promote clean hands: Encouraging frequent hand washing is the single most effective method for reducing the spread of the flu among guests and employees. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based gel sanitizers and pre-moistened hand sanitizing wipes are good options. Pre-moistened wipes also offer the added benefit of removing soil-attracting biofilm from hands.
