Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges and universities have been in a unique position.
While some outright closed, others remained open and implemented strict visitation, social distancing, and cleaning policies to keep students, faculty, and staff safe.
With several vaccines against the deadly virus receiving approval for use recently, there’s a new hope for a return to normalcy. Fully reopening isn’t just a pipe dream.
However, “normal” is a ways off. And a new strain of COVID-19 has emerged. In the interim, cleaning protocols to eliminate the coronavirus are here to stay.
In reopening a campus -- whether it’s the first time since the pandemic or for students and staff returning from a break -- partnering with a commercial cleaning products supplier helps you maintain the upper hand on preventing the virus’s spread.
4 Ways to Get the Most From a Commercial Cleaning Products Provider for Killing Coronavirus
In the age of coronavirus, hiring a commercial cleaning services is a much more involved process than it used to be. For COVID-19 cleaning services, there are several key elements to insist upon to get the most out of your partnership for hygiene and safety:
- Get an assessment
- Develop a plan
- Establish cleaning practices
- Select commercial grade disinfectants
1. Get an Assessment
Colleges and universities are big places.
With classrooms, common areas, dormitories, and plenty of other frequently used facilities, there’s a lot to keep clean and disinfected. That’s where an assessment comes in handy.
By working with a cleaning products supplier on a thorough assessment, you’ll have identified exactly what needs attention -- and perhaps some areas that have been neglected. In addition, you’ll be better suited to develop a cleaning plan (which we’ll talk about next) that’s tailored to your institution’s exact needs.
Need an assessment? We can help! Learn about how we help you prioritize your cleaning and disinfection needs:
2. Develop a Plan
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the most important steps to staying on top of keeping facilities sanitized is developing a cleaning plan. This extends to working with an outside cleaning agency.
With written-out guidelines, there’s no question about what needs to be cleaned and disinfected or how frequently.
Your cleaning plan should include frequently used or high-touch items, such as:
- Tables
- Doorknobs
- Light switches
- Countertops
- Handles
- Desks
- Phones
- Keyboards
- Toilets
- Faucets and sinks
- Touch screens
- ATM machines
As part of your plan, you should include documentation of when cleaning and disinfection occurred. Not only does this act as another layer of accountability, but it also provides peace of mind to those using your facilities.
A Word on Hand Hygiene
Though high-touch surfaces are a critical component of your overall plan, it's important to couple this with hand hygiene.
Touch-free hand-sanitizing stations are essential for reducing the spread of viruses. When incorporating hand hygiene services into your plan, be sure to:
- An audit of your facility to ensure the most effective placement of dispensers.
- Recommendations on the best service frequency option so that you never run out of product.
- Dispensers that are durable and ADA compliant
- Stocked with product that contains alcohol (minimum 62%) and meets CDC guidelines.
3. Establish Cleaning Protocols
Sanitation services offered by a commercial cleaning agency for COVID-19 sanitation should go beyond providing a basic wipe down.
A commercial cleaning company’s products supplier should offer two key deliverables for proper sanitation: cleaning and disinfection.
Cleaning and disinfection are not the same thing. But in the fight against coronavirus, you should never view sanitation as a matter of cleaning vs. disinfection. They go hand-in-hand.
Cleaning is the act of removing dirt and impurities -- such as germs -- from a surface (think: wipe down). Disinfection happens after cleaning, and involves using a chemical that kills germs, viruses and bacteria. To properly sanitize a surface requires cleaning, and then disinfection.
According to the CDC, standard cleaning protocols for COVID-19 include:
- Wearing PPE, such as disposable gloves and protective eye equipment
- Routinely cleaning high-touch surfaces
- Sanitizing surfaces with soap and water followed by disinfectant
- Opening windows (if possible) for proper ventilation
- Following cleaning product instructions
- Washing hands after removing gloves used during cleaning
4. Select Effective Commercial-Grade Disinfectants
Viruses are stubborn things. Eliminating them from surfaces requires using commercial-grade disinfectants that kill the pathogen.
In the case of eliminating the coronavirus from surfaces, the safest and most effective cleaning supplies for universities and colleges are ones approved under the Environmental Protection Agency’s N List for Emerging Viral Pathogens.
Appropriate disinfectant products include:
- Proxi® One Step Disinfectant - An RTU Hydrogen Peroxide Disinfectant
- Quat Plus TB
- Enviro Care® Neutral Disinfectant
- F-29
- LabGuard 256
- Peraspray
- CP-64
Commercial Cleaning Products for Hygiene and Safety Against COVID-19
With reopening on the horizon, cleaning protocols to eliminate the coronavirus remain part of the here and now.
Partnering with a cleaning products supplier that provides the right tools to kill COVID-19 helps your college or university meet sanitation guidelines and keep your campus as safe and coronavirus-free as possible.
Need help preparing your college or university for reopening and long-term operation?
Learn more about our cleaning services and products:
