Coronavirus Commercial Cleaning & Disinfection Standards For Healthcare Facilities

Healthcare facilities have substantially greater risks for infections during the current coronavirus pandemic. To protect your staff and patients, you need to take a proactive approach to commercial cleaning and ensure your commercial cleaning company is meeting the more stringent cleaning standards for healthcare facilities, including implementing approved disinfectants and infection control measures.Commercial Cleaning Standards for Healthcare Facilities ChecklistWhether your facility is a surgical center, outpatient clinic or medical office, effective cleaning and disinfecting of your facility goes way beyond the typical general cleaning services offered to commercial businesses, with a particular emphasis on disinfecting high contact surfaces.When working with a commercial cleaning company, you need to make sure they are following all recommended guidelines. This includes Universal Precaution training, following Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) from OSHA. Commercial cleaning crews for healthcare facilities should also be required to use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) while on-premises.The Healthcare Facilities checklist should also include training and compliance with any state department of health requirements as well as:

When it comes to coronavirus, additional cleaning standards for healthcare facilities are necessary. Scientists at the National Institute of Health (NIH) have now determined that the virus can stay active on some surfaces for up to 3 days. This means general cleaning practices will help, but not eliminate the germs to stop the virus from spreading. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends using EPA-approved disinfectants in healthcare facilities.

Coronavirus Healthcare Commercial Cleaning Disinfection Checklist

Your coronavirus healthcare checklist should include all areas to be cleaned and disinfected and the specific action that should be taken. It should include a high level of detail, such as:

General Services

  • Clean and disinfect light switches, walls, doors, door frames, vertical
  • Clean all surfaces using approved disinfectants
  • Clean and disinfect desks & counters
  • Clean and disinfect inside/outside waste & recycle bins
  • Disinfect all hand sinks and fixtures
  • Disinfect all doorknobs and handles
  • Clean and disinfect windowsills
  • Clean and disinfect partition tops & edges
  • Clean and disinfect picture frames and light fixtures
  • Clean and disinfect baseboards
  • Clean and disinfect furniture
  • Clean and disinfect monitors, keyboards, and electrical equipment
  • Clean and disinfect conference room furniture & monitor screens
  • Clean and disinfect tops & face of lockers
  • High dusting, air ducts, grills, vent covers & piping
  • Wipe clean window blinds - Clean and disinfect touchpoints
  • Clean and disinfect whiteboards/blackboards
  • Deep clean common areas, patient rooms, and offices (following the above guidelines)

Carpet & Rugs

  • Vacuum rugs, carpet & mats
  • Detail vacuum including corners & edges

Hard Surface Floors

  • Detailed mop using neutral cleaners and disinfectant
  • Detail sweep/dust mop hard surface floors including corners & edges
  • Properly arrange all tables, desks & chairs

Bathrooms

  • Clean and disinfect walls, doors, partitions & lockers
  • Disinfect horizontal surfaces: counters dispensers, toilets
  • Clean and Disinfect all touchpoints: door handles, kickplates, light switches, toilet handles, dispenser handles, fixtures, etc.
  • Clean and disinfect toilets & urinals including bases
  • Clean and disinfect mirrors
  • Clean and disinfect waste receptacles
  • Clean and disinfect partitions & ledges
  • Wet mop floors using disinfectant & clean water
  • High dusting: air grills, ceiling fixtures as needed
  • Detail clean showers/stalls (if applicable)

Breakrooms & Kitchens

  • Clean and disinfect all vertical surfaces: cabinets, appliances & walls
  • Clean and disinfect horizontal surfaces: tables, counters & appliances
  • Clean and disinfect sinks
  • Clean and disinfect inside and outside of microwaves
  • Clean and disinfect outside of Refrigerator

Entry Ways and Lobbies

  • Clean and disinfect entrance doors
  • Clean and disinfect partitions & mirrors
  • Detail clean and disinfect entry doors & hardware
  • Detail elevator inside/out (If applicable)
  • Clean and disinfect inside windows & sills

Certain areas may require a separate checklist to assure cleaning and disinfection standards for healthcare facilities are being met, including:

  • Pre-surgery aseptic cleaning
  • Post-surgery aseptic cleaning
  • Sub-sterile areas, including autoclave rooms

You may also want to take additional measures to protect your healthcare facility. If you want any of these additional services, you will likely need to request an additional estimate:

  • Electrostatic spraying for complete disinfection
  • Clean and disinfect the inside of any lockers or refrigerators
  • Clean and disinfect outside windows and sills
  • Power washing
  • Strip, seal, wax & burnish VCT (Vinyl Composite Tile) floors
  • Scrubbing LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) floors
  • Shampoo carpets

About OpenWorks

OpenWorks is the preferred commercial cleaning, disinfecting and facilities services company for more than 1,500 customers nationwide. Since 1983, OpenWorks has been committed to providing the most effective and innovative processes, highly-trained service providers using the latest cleaning technology and practices, and providing the best service in the industry.We provide commercial cleaning and disinfection services to keep your facility, employees, and patients safe and healthy.Contact OpenWorks to discuss cleaning, disinfecting, and infection control needs for your healthcare facility.

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