Infection Control & First Aid Blog

Proper cleaning is often the first line of defense against the spread of infectious diseases; a place where this is most notable is in public restrooms. Many factors go into why a public bathroom is a high-risk environment; the bluntest reason comes from Dr. Michael Berry who referred to it as a "Biohazardous waste transfer station" (Berry). This is due to it being the place where biohazardous waste is transferred from one system to another, and it doesn't always go smoothly due to drips, spills, accidents, overflows, plumbing failures, etc.

WSJK-FM radio had a segment on the misconceptions of cleaning and how people are missing some of the most important spots where bacteria can spread. Their host brought on the ISSA Executive Director of ARCSI or the Association of Residential Cleaning Services, Ernie Hartong. His company consists of cleaning industry specialists who want to develop the world’s most successful residential cleaning companies.

ISSA is the worldwide cleaning industry association. Their Membership Outreach Manager, Hannah Kennedy, wants everyone to know why the value of cleaning is so important. ISSA's goal over the past couple of years was to change the way people view the cleaning industry by seeing it as something professional and worthwhile. Health, Sustainability, Productivity, Image Enhancement, Asset Management, and Safety are the six key areas that are measured to establish a company’s return on investment when it comes to cleaning. In the video “Leveraging The Value Of Clean,” Hannah Kennedy focuses mainly on the health aspect of cleaning.

There are germs and bugs everywhere you are. They are incredibly dangerous because you cannot see where they are. This is why cleaning and your environmental services department is so incredibly necessary. 

11 Recommended Cleaning & Disinfection Practices to Prevent the Spread of Colds and the Flu

In 2014 ISSA put together an amazing guide titled Cleaning for Infection Prevention: Cold and Flu that is still incredibly relevant today. In this guide there is a particular section that covers recommended cleaning and disinfection practices that we will share with you below. 

 There are too many places where patients in a hospital can get an infection. From a catheter, to improperly washed hands. The thing is to do your best to prevent these infections from spreading.

The worst types of infections are those that are antibiotic-resistant. The infographic below covers the many actions that should be taken to prevent antibiotic-resistant infections in a healthcare setting. By working together; we can all make heath care safer.

Back in 2009 there was a study that came about that investigated what the best practices were in healthcare settings for cleaning and disinfecting. This study was started by The Canadian Association of Environmental Management in conjunction with Queens University.

Continuing on with our "Cleaning for Infection Prevention" series, our topic is now Enterovirus D68. Many people may refer to this virus as Non-Polio Enterovirus. 

 There are so many outbreaks each year that are cause for concern. Many of these outbreaks, however, can be contained or even prevented if proper cleaning techniques are put into place in your facility. Influenza A is a perfect example. 

Infections that are super contagious—such as Ebola, Enterovirus D68, colds, and flu—are increasing and spreading every day in your kids schools. This spike in public health concerns means it's more important than ever to educate your customers and decision-makers about the critical role cleaning plays in keeping building occupants safe and healthy.

To help understand this concept more clearly, ISSA has developed this infographic to communicate the value of effective cleaning, particularly in K-12 schools. There is also a video to further supports the ISSA Clean Standard that we have posted below the infographic: K-12, a new tool that helps schools and other educational facilities objectively assess the effectiveness of their cleaning processes to ensure clean, healthy learning environments for students and staff.