Hampshire Carpet and Upholstery Care

Blog Post

Fogging: The War on Coronavirus

Richard Lee-Costello • 27 April 2020

How Fogging is now winning the war on coronavirus in residential and commercial properties in Hampshire 

Coronavirus Deep Clean Hampshire
The cleaning industry is at war with Coronavirus and how to effectively sanitise residential premises and business premises such as shops, restaurants, pubs, nursing homes, offices etc. This blog looks at fogging as an effective technique to sanitise premises for decontamination and prevention.

Bio-Fogging and Chemical Fogging have been around for a long time for deodorising and sanitising interior spaces. The current war on coronavirus has pushed fogging into the mainstream and is now recognised as the best way of decontaminating and help prevent the spread of coronavirus. Bio-Fogging has come along way, now using antimicrobials which are safe and effective compared to historically, using various chemicals including formaldehyde, phenol-based agents and compounds of ammonium. Many of these were toxic and were not tested properly having potential effects on human health. 

So what is fogging? For our purposes we use ULV foggers which produce a fine mist with droplet size measured in microns, the biocide particles in the mist or fog are so small that they remain suspended in the air long enough to kill airborne viruses and bacteria and create a film over surfaces. Many modern antimicrobials also have a residual factor, meaning once dry the antimicrobial will keep working effectively creating nanoscopic spikes which are harmless to humans and animals but destructive to the envelope of the virus by piercing it and making the virus unable to work properly and die off. Other forms of fogging include dry fogging which fills the room with smoke however, these require heat which make the antimicrobial ineffective, this type of fog is common in discotheques.

Is fogging enough? For effective infection control ‘Cleaning and disinfection of contaminated surfaces are one of the frequently implemented measures to control transmission of pathogens in indoor environments’ (https://aem.asm.org/content/78/21/7769). Thus you must clean first then disinfect, the IICRC Say 'Regardless of what chemicals may be able to destroy the Novel Coronavirus, most efficacy tests are done in clinical environments and not tested “in field” meaning that the real world application and efficacy may not achieve the same results. As such, it is critical to remember that most antimicrobial products (disinfectants) are not going to achieve the desired results when applied to soiled surfaces, soft furnishings, etc. Even surfaces that appear visibly clean must be cleaned thoroughly prior to application of chemicals. The fact is that proper cleaning of surfaces is much like washing of hands and offers more protection than application of hand sanitiser as it actually removes the contamination rather than trying to “kill” or destroy it.' Many recent start up Coronavirus fogging companies do not clean first thus, is there fogging only service really effective? According to the British Institute Cleaning Science ‘firstly the contamination must be removed (cleaned) and the disinfected (fogged) (https://www.bics.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Infection-Control-Awareness2.pdf).

Fogging however could be ineffective if the following procedures are not carried out; ‘Preparation of the product should be according to manufacturer’s instructions, always adding chemical to water. This minimises the risk of contact with undiluted chemical and excess foam being created. The correct level of water in the container is key to the dilution being accurate’ and ‘Disinfect the total area of the contamination following the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure sufficient contact time’ (https://www.bics.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Infection-Control-Awareness2.pdf). If neither or just one of these procedures are not carried out the effectiveness against coronavirus would be nil. Hampshire Carpet and Upholstery Care use a QAC test to ensure the correct ppm level has been reached, this is then recorded to showing the correct level of antimicrobial has been administered.

When choosing a service to deal with coronavirus decontamination, prevention and disinfecting service it is important more than ever to choose the right company. Some simple checks are; are they accredited to any trade bodies, are they insured, does there website only show a mobile number (no business landline or address), how long have they been trading, are they trained and do they evidence this? Hampshire Carpet and Upholstery Care have experience in infection control and have updated their training, see here. We are also Trading Standards Approved, Members of the National Carpet Cleaning Association and work to International: Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification standards. Our sanitising service antimicrobial Is certified to be effective against all enveloped viruses (EN 14476:2013 + A2:2019 Annex A*) including all coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2 meaning with our professional training combined with proof tests carried out onsite, we can certify your premises have been effectively disinfected against coronavirus.

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Wash your hands often: Until your hands are washed it is important to try not to touch any part of your face Using soap, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, if you are unable to wash your hands use a hand sanitiser which contains at least 60% alcohol covering whole of hand and rub together until dry. You should do this as soon as you can after sneezing, blowing your nose, coughing and being in a public place. Cover coughs and sneezes: Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow. Throw used tissues in the bin and wash hands as above. Avoid close contact Avoid close contact with people who are sick Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick. Stay home if you’re sick: Stay at home if you have coronavirus symptoms Stay at home for 7 days if you have either: a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back a new, continuous cough – this means you've started coughing repeatedly Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you're staying at home. Testing for coronavirus is not needed if you're staying at home. Clean and disinfect: Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets and sinks. If surfaces are dirty, clean them: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection. More info can be found at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/common-questions/ How to clean and disinfect your home / workplace: According to www.cdc.gov you should use disinfectants appropriate for the surface. Options include: Diluting your household bleach. To make a bleach solution, mix: 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water OR 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted. Alternatively use Alcohol solutions e nsuring solution has at least 70% alcohol. The problem with using bleach is you cannot use it on most carpets and upholstery for example, also it is corrosive against certain surfaces, can cause respiratory problems of its own, only has a kill log of 5 and is not that residual. Hampshire Carpet and Upholstery Care offer a Sanitising Service inc. Coronavirus /Covid-19 Deep Clean in Southampton, Winchester, Fareham, Eastleigh, Portsmouth and all surrounding areas . Our Deep Clean / Sanitising service is recommended for prevention in residential and commercial properties. The product we use lasts! This is the jewel in the crown, patented technology allows for extended kill capacity weeks, months years! Our treatment is tolerant of soil, hard water, etc, is non-toxic and non-corrosive meaning it is safe to use anywhere. Heat, Sunlight or Travel distress has no effect on the product. You can protect your whole home, just one room if you have a baby etc. Whilst there is no proven kill for covid-19 as sample strands are all being used in the search for a vaccine, an Antimicrobial with a kill log-6 is being used by professionals to sanitise infected areas as this is what is expected to be able to kill the virus. Where bleach only has a kill log-5 (https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/disinfection-methods/chemical.html) , our treatment falls into the kill log-6 spectrum which is effective for political micro control of A/H1N1 swine flu , Mycobaclerium, Tuberculosis, MRSA, Medical Waste Treatment, Feline Calicivirus (Human Norovirus surrogate), Feline Coronavirus (SARA surrogate), enveloped and non-enveloped virus, HIV and C.difficile, Paeruginosa, E.coli, S.aureus, Enterococcus hirae, Bacillus suttilis, C.difficile, Aspergillus niger, Listeria, Salmonella, Legionella pneumophila. Our 429 service can be delivered by fogging which is a cloud of liquid in air. The droplets of atomised liquid in the airborne fog are very small, for this reason they can penetrate deep into structures and surfaces having improved performance of the product enhancing the outcome of the task. 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