Tips On How To Prevent The Cold And Flu In The Workplace

How Do You Catch The Flu?

Direct contact- Someone who has the flu can spread the illness by sneezing or coughing;
Indirect contact- by touching a surface that is contaminated with the flu virus and then touching your nose or mouth;
Flu viruses can survive for hours or days on inanimate surfaces.

Flu Prevention Tips:

Stay home from work if you have the flu to prevent its spread;
Frequent and thorough hand washing is a good defense (see the World Health Organizations guidelines for hand washing guidelines);
Clean and disinfect high touch surfaces, such as doorknobs, toilet handles, and light switches frequently;
Make sure the cleaning service you’re using is following best practices for cleaning and disinfection (germs can be spread by cleaning improperly);

It Is Best To Follow Commercial Cleaning And Best Disinfection Practices

Surface must be thoroughly cleaned prior to applying a disinfectant (most germs can be removed by thorough cleaning).**
Use EPA registered, hospital grade disinfectants with appropriate kill claims (should be effective against targeted viruses or germs).
Allow sufficient dwell time for the disinfectant to work (see label for recommended dwell times).
Cleaning company should follow CDC and EPA cleaning and disinfection best practices.

**Disinfectants are less effective when applied to dirty surfaces.

Tips on Using Disinfectant Wipes:

Use the wipe, discard, wipe method when disinfecting contaminated surfaces; clean the surface with one wipe, throw it away and disinfect the surface with the second wipe.
Wipes should be moist (dry wipes are ineffective).
Use EPA registered disinfectant wipes that are capable of killing Influenza type A and B when wiping down surfaces (refer to label for kill claims);

Cross Contamination: Is Your Cleaning Company Spreading or Removing Germs?

With flu season at its peak you certainly don’t want to be spreading germs around if you can help it. So, how can you know if your cleaning company is doing everything it can to remove the germs in your office effectively?

Simply, call Ace today for a free evaluation and in 5 minutes we’ll determine if your cleaning service is following best practices recommended by the CDC and EPA to keep your office as clean and healthy as it can be. For more information on cleaning best practices please visit our blog for frequent updates about the commercial cleaning industry.

This material cannot be reproduced or published without the written consent of Ace Cleaning Systems, Inc.