How to Properly Disinfect Hard Surfaces

Cold and flu season is an important time to make sure you are properly disinfecting your hard surfaces. When a global outbreak such as COVID-19 happens, it is even more imperative that you are routinely disinfecting high-touch surfaces in your facility.

How long can COVID-19 survive on a surface?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 is behaving like other strands of coronaviruses. While they are still uncertain how long COVID-19 can survive on surfaces, it is estimated that it can persist on hard surfaces for anywhere between a few hours to several days.

How do you properly disinfect a surface?

Make sure to review all disinfectant label instructions before use for proper dilution rates and appropriate applications of the product.

When it comes to disinfection, there are two C’s to keep in mind – cleaning and contact time.

Before using a disinfectant, make sure to clean the surface with a general cleaner, such as Task™. Make sure to remove all visible dirt and soils prior to applying the disinfectant.

Once the surface has been cleaned of visible dirt and soils, apply the disinfectant. Spray the surface with the disinfectant until the surface is visibly wet. The surface must remain visibly wet until the recommend contact time has been met. So, for a disinfectant that has a 5-minute contact time, the surface must remain visibly wet for 5 minutes. If after 3 minutes the surface starts to dry, reapply the disinfectant to be visibly wet again for the additional 2 minutes.

What are high-touch surfaces?

High-touch surfaces are objects that many people come in contact with numerous times throughout the day. Some of the most common surfaces that require constant disinfection include:

• Door handles and handicap access buttons
• Elevator buttons
• Light switches
• Stair railings
• Chair handles
• Reception desks
• Sink faucets and kitchen cupboard handles
• Fitness/rehabilitation equipment
• Credit card readers and cash registers
• Waiting room tables
• Public use pens/clipboards
• Vending machines

COVID-19 is a new strain of the human coronavirus. At State, we have disinfectants on List N: EPA’s Registered Antimicrobial Products for Use Against Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the Cause of COVID-19.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

If you would like a quote on one of State’s cleaning, sanitizing or disinfectant products, refer to our contact us form below to get into contact with one of our sales professionals!

WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION?

The most up-to-date information regarding the COVID-19 can be found at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html