Why is wiping and disinfection important in commercial facilities?
Ever since the pandemic in 2020, disinfection took over tidy appearance as the primary objective in the wiping process. Disinfecting and cleaning frequently touched areas help prevent the spread of disease by eliminating germs and pathogens that sit around on non porous surfaces such as desks, light switches, and door knobs.
How is wiping and disinfection performed in commercial facilities?
It starts with dusting. See HERE
After dusting, microfiber cloths dampened generously with CDC, EPA or Health Canada approved neutral disinfectant – which must be used in a single wipe fashion.
To maximize microfiber cloth usage while following disinfection industry standards, Arelli recommends folding each cloth twice to get 8 clean surfaces. Ask us how!
Allow disinfectant to dry out and follow instructions on containers for maximum efficacy.
Frequently Touched areas should be wiped down. Here’s a list of a few important surfaces that require wiping in any commercial facility or office environment.
- Desks and workstations
- Handrails
- Keyboards and mice
- Light switches
- Phones and headsets
- Monitors & Printers
- Elevator buttons
How frequently should I wipe down surfaces in the office?
This is a good question. Surfaces may appear clean, but they may be infected with germs and pathogens that are invisible to the eye. Surfaces become infected when touched by infected hands or tissues containing pathogens. Exercising personal hygiene best practices such as wearing masks when suspected ill or washing hands frequently are critical factors that impact the necessity of disinfection in the workplace. So really – the answer to this question is that it depends on many factors. Discuss your office operations with our experienced field specialists to find out what’s best for your office and how can Arelli help make it fit within your budget.
Generally speaking though, wiping and disinfection is part of the normal commercial cleaning process. Wiping and disinfection takes place every time your cleaners are there.
How frequently should I disinfect and wipe washroom areas?
The frequency of disinfecting and wiping washroom areas in commercial facilities depends on usage and traffic. Ideally, high-touch surfaces should be cleaned multiple times a day when traffic is high, while a comprehensive cleaning routine should be performed daily, with deeper cleaning weekly and monthly. Consistent cleaning ensures a hygienic environment, reducing the risk of illness and promoting a positive impression for users.
Arelli understands the importance of restroom disinfection and sanitization and can work with you to come up with a plan that matches your budget and needs.
What are key things to remember when wiping and disinfecting?
Well – making sure cleaning crews are not the source of infection comes first! Arelli Cleaning has a strict policy for crew members with any sign of illness to avoid going to customer facilities. This is easy with back up crews we have in place.
Using different colour microfiber cloths to prevent cross contamination comes next. Arelli uses up to three different colours of microfiber cloths to achieve this goal. Red is reserved for washrooms where Green, Yellow, or Blue could be used for office areas, kitchens or other areas where cross contamination mitigation policies are in effect.
Using CDC, EPA, or Health Canada approved chemicals is key. Making sure its neutral (True pH of 6.5 to 7.5) ensures no damage would be made to the non porous surfaces it’s applied to.
Making sure ample amount of disinfectant is used to allow for a wet surface to dry is part of of the disinfection effectiveness requirement.
Arelli uses CDC, EPA, or Health Canada approved cleaner-disinfectants that are instrumental in simultaneous cleaning and disinfecting. Using this type of chemical is key in making sure the wiping task isn’t repeated – contributing to unnecessary cost increase for our customers.
What’s the secret to making sure you make the best use of your microfiber cloth?
Arelli cleaning crews fold the microfiber cloth it into a square before wiping. This would allow them to rotate between 8 clean surfaces – once each! It’s called the 8 sided folding technique. See video here.
Ask any Arelli’s field support team member to help formulate the best wiping and disinfection routine while staying within your budget.
/ week
.webp)