What Your Janitorial and Maid Service Don’t Want You to Know
What if you hire a disinfection company and they mess up? Your business is too important to expose to that kind of risk. Evaluating each company by asking the right questions is essential to getting the results you desire. After 35 years in business, we know what it takes to provide disinfection services that are both safe and effective. In light of the emerging coronavirus pandemic, we feel compelled to share 5 secrets to choosing the right disinfection company.
When you request a quote from any company, be sure they can satisfy these 5 questions.
1. How do I know your disinfection products are effective against coronavirus?
2. How do you address airborne viral particles?
3. How will you show me the cleaning and disinfection was done right?
4. What is your disinfection process and how do you address biofilm?
5. How will your company protect me if you make a mistake?
#1 How do I know your disinfection products are effective against coronavirus?
There are many false claims being made about products that are “proven effective” against SARS-CoV-2. The real answer is, nobody knows. SARS-CoV-2 is a brand new virus, so any claim of 100% certainty at the moment of this posting is a false claim. The EPA however has a policy in place to address this problem. Products claiming to treat the virus responsible for COVID-19 must be eligible for use under the EPA’s Emerging Pathogen Policy, or on this list. Products under the Emerging Pathogen Policy are known to be effective against a broad range of viruses, and are therefore likely effective against SARS-CoV-2.
Don’t let a company persuade you with false information about their products. Make sure they are using the right disinfectant to get the job done.
#2 How do you address airborne viral particles?
Nothing brings more fear to a situation than an airborne virus. In many cases viral particles remain in the air for several days to several weeks. Disinfection companies must be prepared to address this vector point in their disinfection protocol. This is especially true for a new, highly contagious virus that is still not fully understood.
One method is to increase the air exchanges in a building (opening all of the exterior windows and doors for long periods of time), but in most commercial settings this approach is not practical. Another method is to use hydroxyl free radicals that render viral particles inactive.
Regardless of the approach, if they are not addressing airborne viral particles in their scope of work, they are not doing their due diligence to understand the potential risks and transmission vectors of this novel virus.
#3 How will you show me the cleaning and disinfection was done right?
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) testing is used in hospital settings and healthcare environments to set cleanliness standards and benchmarks. Use of this technology is very important for high touch points where you cannot see if the disinfection process is being effective. If the company you are choosing does not provide this test, you have no proof of proper cleaning and disinfection.
#4 What is your disinfection process and how do you address biofilm?
Many companies are finding a substantial decline in their business during this crisis. This includes janitorial companies, maid services, and many others in the service industry. The loss of business is creating a sense of panic among these companies, and they are hoping to solve this problem by jumping into the disinfection business. The problem is that they lack the proper equipment and training to do the job right. Here are some examples.
Bad Business #1: Don’t worry, we will fog your business with disinfectant!
Fogging with disinfectant is NOT an effective strategy for disinfection. All high touch points have “biofilm” coating their surface. This includes skin cells, bacteria and other particulates that block the effectiveness of a disinfectant. If you are not cleaning before disinfecting, then you are not providing full service disinfection.
Bad Business #2: All you need is a “spray and wipe” service.
Many cleaning businesses are turning to disinfection work to solve their loss in revenue. Unfortunately, not only are many of them failing to use the appropriate products (see Question #1), but they are also failing to use proper PPE and respiratory protection. This is a huge liability for their business and yours. If their employee gets sick after being on your property, that leaves you open to a lawsuit. Which leads me to….
#5 How will your company protect me if you make a mistake?
Whenever hiring disinfection companies, it is important to ask for a Certificate of Insurance (COI) to verify that they have Pollution coverage of at least $2M to cover any incidents that might come up during their work. An Umbrella policy, which is extra liability insurance, of $5M or more is a good indication that the company is properly insured. Having a COI with the proper risk amounts, go a long way to protecting your company. Without having that coverage document you are leaving yourself open to substantial risk.
Asking these questions makes the difference between having your business properly disinfected, and opening yourself up to liability. Whether you choose us or not, we are confident that these questions will help you find the right company for your disinfection service.
Feel free to call us with any questions, or if you would like a quote for disinfection: 202-318-2245.
