Covid 19 Deep Cleaning
Last year the UK Government released advice to help all businesses to become Covid 19 secure at work. This included information about Covid 19 secure cleaning, which emphasised the vital role that increased cleaning would play in limiting transmission of the disease.
A lot of businesses aren’t aware of what is required to meet these Covid 19 secure standards. We thought it would be helpful to describe what is required to fully meet these standards to better inform our clients.
What is deep cleaning?
Deep Cleaning within the cleaning industry is commonly defined as the specific service that is more intense and includes disinfecting, however there is no standard definition to the term.
The client’s brief
A lot of our enquiries recently have been for premises that require deep cleaning after a Covid 19 positive case. Other businesses have asked for deep cleans whilst they have been closed for lockdown to ensure they were Covid 19 secure when they reopened. Cleaning is a vital part of planning for businesses to reopen safely. Recently we were contacted by EH Smith to ask if we could carry out a Covid 19 deep clean of their offices, following a positive Covid 19 case on site.
Having commenced the regular cleaning contract with EH Smith at the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic, their manager Mark was already aware of our proactive approach to deep cleaning. Mark was delighted with our cleaning operative, Dawn, who was working with them as she constantly took a very thorough approach to the cleaning schedule.
We were able to reassure our client of our capability and experience in this area and ability to be very responsive to their request; the deep clean was carried out within a short timescale.
What happens during a Covid 19 deep clean?
1. We ensure everyone is safe
We first and foremost consider the health and welfare of our operatives and they receive enhanced PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) of disposable aprons or overalls, overshoes, gloves, face masks and visors.
2. We use antiviral disinfectant
With all our post Covid 19 deep cleans, we use a clinical grade disinfectant cleaner with powerful virucidal, bacterial and fungicidal properties, which is suitable for all areas including kitchens and food preparation areas. Our antiviral disinfectant product of choice, Screen, complies with the latest British Standard European Norm Accreditation BS EN 14476. This is used alongside disposable cloths and mop heads.
3. We prioritise touchpoints and high contact areas.
The post Covid 19 deep clean is tailored to each client, taking into account the areas where staff who have tested positive have been. We use a traditional method of cleaning to ensure, as suggested by the World Health Organisation, that all surfaces, both hidden and high contact surfaces are covered within the clean.
At this property, all the walls and ceilings did not require cleaning, however the scope of this deep clean did include the cleaning of walls in some areas, especially in the washroom cleaning.
Contact and touch surfaces are a focal point of a post Covid 19 deep clean, these include, light switches, handrails, door handles and push plates, but also less obvious touch points such as architraves, window openers and blind pulls.
4. We work from high levels to low levels.
The process of a deep clean follows the simple schedule of high level to low level, so that any debris or contamination is removed completely, avoiding the recontamination of surfaces below. We also open windows to allow for good ventilation as per governmental advice.
5. We work from the visible to the invisible.
The schedule starts with vacuum suction of all visible debris on surfaces, followed by meticulous wiping of surfaces with virucidal disinfectant and hot water. In the case of tables, desks and chairs, this would be the top and underside followed by the legs.
Surfaces are left to dry naturally, but where items or surfaces require buffing or polishing after disinfection, soft microfibre cloths are used. These can then be laundered at high temperatures.
6. We occasionally suggest fogging.
There has been much in the news recently about the efficacy of fogging in decontaminating areas of the virus that causes Covid 19. Here at Cleaning Technique we have written extensively about this, which you can read here. Although we don’t routinely use fogging, as it’s not often required after a deep clean, we occasionally recommend it at the point if there is need.
What our client thought
As the below testimonial shows, the management of EH Smith were reassured and completely confident to return to work, safe in the knowledge that a thorough deep cleaning procedure, by an experienced cleaning company, had been carried out. We had kept within the timescales needed to minimise the disruption to their business operations.
I am a Property Manager for a company who own a number of commercial properties. At the beginning of the pandemic I was not happy with the quality of the service we were receiving from our pervious cleaners. Whilst looking for a new cleaning company Cleaning Technique Ltd was recommended to me by one of our previous tenants and I have been so grateful for this. The team at Cleaning Technique Ltd are so professional and the standard of their cleaning service is better than any other that I have ever experienced, and my role has meant that that has been a lot! At the start of our relationship with Cleaning Technique Ltd they did a deep clean of our property, this service was impeccable and at an incredibly reasonable price. Since this we have had to have a second deep clean due to someone testing positive for Covid 19 and therefore safeguarding the others uses of our property from this. Cleaning Technique Ltd did this equally as effectively as the first deep clean and I was amazed how quickly they were able to respond to our need. I would highly, highly recommend Cleaning Technique Ltd for anyone’s cleaning needs as well as their deep cleaning service.
Mark Leinster. Property Manager. EH Smith Holdings Ltd
If you’d like to talk with us about your requirements for a Covid 19 deep clean, please contact us.
