Environmental Cleaning

Cleanaing is defined as a process of using friction, detergent, and water to remove organic debris. The process by which any organic debris can be removed. Cleaning can remove but UnotU kill microorganisms

Disinfection is aprocess that kills most microorganisms on inanimate surfaces, Disinfection destroys pathogens exceptions are bacterial spores or their toxins or vectors by direct exposure to chemical or physical means.




Types of disinfectants:
1. Alcohols -non corrosive but can be a fire hazard. A mixture of 70% alcohol is effective against a wide range of bacteria (hand sanitizers), Higher concentrations (80% ethanol +5% ispropanol) are needed to efffectively inactivate the lipid envelop of viruses such as HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C. It is only partially effective against hepatitist A. It is ineffective against fungal and bacterial spores.


2. Phenolics - similar to alcohols but have higher acidic concentration. Some phenolics are germicidal and are used in formulating disinfectants.
Oldest know phenolic is carbolic acid. Hexachloraphine was used as a germicidal agent until it's side effects were known.

3. Aldehydes - such as gluteraldehyde. They have a wide antimicrobial activity and sporicidal and fungicidal. They cause severe eye, nose, and throat, and lung irritation along with headaches, drowsiness, and dizziness. All these symptoms can lead to asthma with prolonged exposure.

4. oxidizing agents
sodium hypochlorite - bleach
hydrogen peroxide
iodine
ozone
lactic acid
potassium permangante

5. Quarternary ammonium compounds (quats) such as benzalkonium chloride. Some concentrations have low level disinfection. Typically quts do not exhibit efficay against difficult to kill bacteria, enveloped viruses, pathologic fungi, and mycobacterium.Psuedomonas is not killed by quat solutons.


Disinfecting surfaces.
Cleaning soultions should be prepared according to manufacturer's instructions. Employees should adhere to these instructions.
Cleaning mops and cloths should be microfibers. The grab onto more dust and dirt. Microfiber mops can endure 300 washings and weigh 2 lbs. Regular speghetti mops weight up to 10lbs.