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3 Questions to Ask When Cleaning for Infection Prevention
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By Allen Randolph, VP Business Development, Kaivac
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1. How do we clean?
This question concerns what cleaning processes are effective, how we validate that effectiveness, and how we assure quality on an ongoing basis. Cleaning, at its core, must be a process focused on the removal of soils, both visible and invisible. Cleaning prepares a surface for disinfection, which is critical for killing pathogens and preventing infection. The biggest thing in cleaning science is validating that your process is removing soils effectively. If you donbt know whether or not your process is valid, itbs probably not, and youbre wasting tremendous money on supplies and labor. Worse, youbre probably not achieving your goal of preventing infection.
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The primary validation tool for cleaning science as it relates to infection is an ATP measurement system. ATP, or Adenosine Triphosphate, is an energy carrier found in all living organisms. An ATP measurement system detects the amount of organic matter that remains on a surface after cleaning, helping to determine if cleaning practices are effective.
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The reason ATP is such a valid measurement for the cleaning industry is really about its rapid response time. You can have data in 15 seconds with ATP, allowing you to track your data against your hypothesis without a lot cost and without a lot of disruption.
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2. When do we clean?
Typically, we clean and disinfect when itbs most convenient, for example, after hours when no one is present. But cleaning when it is convenient is not the same as cleaning when itbs necessary and when it could help prevent infection. Put simply, the right process applied at the wrong time will not produce the result you want. Science allows us to understand how and when to apply cleaning processes to achieve the best result, preventing infection and protecting public health.
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Fortunately, the same validation science that helped us above can help us determine the proper frequencies. ATP testing at strategic intervals can help you track how contamination builds up in critical areas and when it reaches a level that demands cleaning. Then schedule your frequencies around your findings and test again. The learning and adjusting process will be ongoing.
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3. Who is doing the cleaning?
The human element of this equation cannot be overlooked if you want to make an impact in preventing infection. Say your tools and techniques are effective. Your timing is perfect, but the workers feel unsupported and demotivated on the job. They are punching the clock and doing the bare minimum to get through the day. Then the whole system breaks down.
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When workers are provided with the proper tools and training and are valued for the vital job they perform, they become empowered. They understand their role in preventing disease. They use processes and frequencies that have been verified scientifically. They speak up, collaborating with management on a successful outcome. They know that their quality will be checked, so they stick with the protocols that create consistently healthy results. This is the final piece of cleaning for infection prevention.
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Infection Prevention Cleaning that Works
When we to delve into how to clean, when to clean, and the needs of the person who does the cleaning b and we use scientific methods to validate our results b cleaning becomes an important part of an infection prevention program, helping create spaces where people feel comfortable and well.
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Kaivac Cleaning Systems Remove Soils
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Kaivac systems use vacuum recovery to capture visible and invisible soils and remove them from the environment, preparing surfaces for disinfection.
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Testing for the presence of microbial contamination is quick, reliable, and simple with the SystemSURE PLUS ATP Measurement System.
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Information Courtesy of Kaivac
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