Disinfection vs Decontamination - Why Dry Steam Vapour Cleaning is Crucial to Fighting COVID-19
As COVID-19 continues to ravage the globe, the face of environmental hygiene needs to change, and we must adapt fast. We need to put standard cleaning practices under the microscope and raise the bar on what’s considered ‘standard practice’. Understanding the difference between disinfection vs decontamination and how you can use both through Dry Steam Vapour (DSV) cleaning to tackle COVID-19 is vital to achieving this.
There are 4 main categories of physical and chemical means of decontamination: (1) heat; (2) liquid disinfection; (3) vapors and gases; and (4) radiation. Let’s look at how COVID-19 spreads and the role Dry Steam Vapour integrated decontamination techniques play in creating a safe and clean environment, free from risks of infection.
How COVID-19 Creates a Dangerous Environment
One of the main ways COVID-19 is transmitted is when infected people cough or exhale and droplets land on surfaces and objects like phones, light switches, toilets, desks, etc. Humans naturally rub their eyes and touch their face and the consequences for handling infected surfaces Increases the risk of transmission of the virus.
The World Health Organisation has released ‘Getting your workplace ready for COVID-19 guidelines’, which recommends good hygiene practices are adhered to and states that one of the most effective ways to reduce transmission is washing hands with soap and water regularly. While sound advice, it doesn’t go far enough to create a safe and clean environment. We must take a similar approach to decontamination of frequently touched surfaces to reduce the risk of repeated cross-contamination from surfaces to hands.
Disinfection Eradicates Most Dangerous Bacteria Living in Dirt and Grime
Disinfection is the process of cleaning surfaces and objects with the help of chemical disinfectants. It eliminates most, but not all, pathogenic (disease-producing) organisms that latch onto bacterial biofilm that parades as grime, dirt, dust, and other organic matter.
Biofilms are communities of bacteria that live together and thrive under the protection of a sticky glue-like layer. As the leading cause of infections in hospitals, killing hundreds of thousands annually, you can imagine the danger these virus-ridden Petri dishes pose when left alone.
Hospitals are the most cleaned environments in the world, as patients are vulnerable, sick, and high-risk. When a virus-like SARS CoV-2 latches onto biofilm in an unsterilized environment like a school or office building, you have a recipe for disaster. It’s imperative that you comprehensively disinfect areas as often as possible to reduce the risk of infection.
You can effectively disinfect surfaces and objects with the help of chemical disinfectants, but you need to be careful to choose the right products. Each one has different characteristics that vary in efficacy when used on different surfaces and materials, while levels of toxicity range from low to critical.
Decontamination Destroys All Bacteria and Viruses
Decontamination eradicates all microbial contamination from materials, ensuring complete safety when you touch surfaces and objects. It plays an instrumental role in establishing a safe space for workers, customers, and family members. Once you’ve destroyed the remnants of dangerous substances, like bacteria and viruses, you can be confident that you’re safe from the possible transmission of infections.
It should be a mandatory practice for hospitals to use decontamination to reduce or eliminate microorganisms from medical devices, surfaces, and environments. Patients are vulnerable to infections and expecting people to enter a hospital for standard procedures, only to leave sicker than before is unacceptable.
Soon the lockdown will ease, and we’ll venture back into schools, offices, public spaces, and more. When a virus has no cure and spreads like wildfire, you too need to prepare and take precautionary measures. Maintaining the standards hospitals keep is near impossible but reaching the highest possible level of environmental hygiene is paramount to ensuring the safety of everybody who enters the environment.
Disinfection vs Decontamination: Dry Steam Vapour Cleaning Delivers Both
Dry steam cleaning fights the battle against bacteria and viruses on three fronts with thermal and chemical disinfection and decontamination by the mechanical action of surface penetration and extraction to eliminate contaminants.
The SARS CoV-2 virus is enveloped by a fatty outer layer that’s susceptible to detergent and steam vapor. It penetrates common surfaces that are porous – like unvarnished wood — and/or have non-smooth, textured and rough surfaces that harbor and hide biofilm and soil. Where manual cleaning isn’t possible, the Dry Steam Vapour reaches those areas and delivers a hygienic environment, and peace of mind that it’s free from risks of infection.
Scientific studies, focusing on the efficacy and removal of all biofilms and microbiological decontamination, demonstrated that Dry Steam Vapour performed equal to or better than disinfection practices. While the use of water and an approved detergent provides an environmentally friendly and more effective alternative to more toxic disinfectants.
Deliver the Safest and Cleanest Environment Possible to Reduce the Spread of COVID-19
The battle to stop the spread of the virus rages on and we must take all the preventative measures we can to play our part.
At OspreyDeepclean, we’ve always placed environmental hygiene as the driving force behind our mission. As market leading experts with over two decades of experience, our innovative design and cutting-edge technology can help tackle the risks of transmissions both inside healthcare settings and outside, where you need to offer the safest and cleanest environments.
Our product range covers all industrial, commercial and domestic requirements. No matter your need, our experts can help you find the best solution for you.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can reduce the spread of COVID-19, whether you’re the general manager of a large building, the leader of a cleaning team, or a parent worried about the safety of your family, contact us here so you can put our expertise to good use.