Laying the Groundwork

Dispelling the myths of floor care is crucial to pathogen control

by Robert Kravitz

We are now entering year two of the pandemic and proper and effective cleaning strategies remain the best tools in slowing the spread of the disease. These do not just apply to those high-touch surfaces we hear so much about but also to the floors we walk on.

Understanding how we clean and maintain these floor surfaces, with the goal of minimizing or eliminating the spread of the virus, can become a bit more complicated.

Studies have shown that the pathogens that cause the disease can collect on shoe bottoms. If contaminated and then walked over carpet, not only can soils be transferred to the carpet but so can the virus. Most coronavirus pathogens start out as airborne and gravity eventually pulls them down to surfaces. The carpet welcomes them: studies show carpet absorbs all types of airborne impurities, just like a sponge absorbs water. The pathogens can survive on carpet for as long as a few days.

Facility managers and cleaning contractors may be surprised to hear that carpet cannot truly be disinfected. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, only hard and nonporous surfaces can be disinfected. As carpet is a soft surface and porous, we can only sanitize carpet. Sanitizing removes most, but not all, pathogens from the carpet as is enough to protect human health.

Cleaning professionals can pre-spray carpet with a disinfectant approved by Health Canada, proven to eliminate the pathogens that cause the virus. In the U.S., the EPA has created the “N-List” of disinfectants that have been tested and proven to eliminate or inactivate those pathogens.

When we pre-spray carpet, we properly dilute water with a cleaning solution or disinfectant and then spray it over the carpet. This allows the chemical to dwell on the carpet for a time specified on the label, which is necessary when using a disinfectant, and begin breaking down soils and eliminating pathogens so they can be removed.

The most effective way to clean and sanitize a carpet is to do this by using a carpet extractor or no-touch cleaning systems with a carpet extractor attachment, which remove the disinfectant and all moisture, soils, and pathogens from the carpet.

Whenever we disinfect or sanitize a surface, we must always clean it first. Cleaning removes soils so the disinfectant more effectively disinfects or sanitizes to eliminate pathogens. Just as coronavirus pathogens can find their way onto carpet, so can they be found on hard-surface floors. Again, the only variable is how long they’re able to survive. We must assume this can be anywhere from a few hours to a few days. But, unlike carpet, we can disinfect floors using approved disinfectants.

We should never mop floors, especially with concerns about the virus, as they become soiled and contaminated as soon as they are applied to the floor. If the floor is contaminated, the pathogens can collect on the mop, in the mop water, and then spread on the floor. Not only that, as the mop is used, the collected soils and contaminants reduce the efficacy of the disinfectant.

For exceptionally large surface areas, automatic scrubbers can be used. The floor must be cleaned first with the scrubber and then disinfected. Then, an approved disinfectant can be pre-sprayed on the floor. Allow for proper dwell time as dictated on the disinfectant label. For most other floors, no-touch cleaning or “dispense and vac” cleaning systems can be used. These are both a cleaner and a disinfectant, which provides a time and cost savings.

All precautions must be taken, including frequently cleaning and disinfecting equipment. With carpet extractors, no-touch, and dispense and vac systems, the process is fairly easy. These machines will have a dump hose, which can be placed in a toilet or floor drain. Fill the tanks of the machine with a properly diluted cleaning solution and then flush out, through the dump hose, the water and solution. Repeat with an approved disinfectant. Disinfect all exterior parts of the machine and allow the machine to air dry.

With more complex automatic scrubbers, the process can be more complicated and difficult. Further, some cleaning solutions/ disinfectants may not be compatible with different parts in the auto scrubber as they can corrode metals, plastics, and rubber. Always check with the scrubber manufacturer before cleaning and disinfecting the machine.

COVID-19, once again, has changed everything. Cleaning for health is real and has now become the mantra of the professional cleaning industry. /

Robert Kravitz is a professional cleaning industry veteran and a frequent industry writer and FC&M contributor.