Cleaning and disinfection have become a huge part of our lives, whether as businesses trying to keep their doors open or residential building owners trying to prevent a COVID-19 infection. Even with the arrival of the SAR-CoV-2 vaccines in 2021, we are likely to continue disinfecting surfaces up until the year after or beyond.
With the frequent use of disinfectants and the increased chances of coming in contact with several disinfectants in a day, people are forced to ask- what is the effect of the frequent use of disinfectants on common surfaces, especially high-contact areas like light switches, tabletops, and more?
This is a mini-guide to help home and business owners understand the effect of frequent disinfectant use and how to reduce the detriments of such use. Two major issues come with frequent disinfectant use; Material deposits and Surface damage.
Material Deposits
A material deposition is common for most solutions since they usually contain two or more separate compounds to form a solution. In the case of disinfectants, the active disinfecting ingredient such as hydrogen peroxide or ammonium chloride is combined with other ingredients in tiny amounts to help with cleaning and stability.
After the disinfected surface dries up, some of these compounds are left behind on the disinfected surface. The color, material, and finish on the surface would determine the nature of the material deposit on that surface. Some common looks include white blotches or spiral residue of white or colored substances on the disinfected surfaces.
While material deposits can be uneven and mismatch the décor of your office or home, they can be easily removed with a clean, damp cloth. This can be done every few days to ensure that the disinfectant is not wiped off before it takes effect.
It is a good idea not to put anything edible on surfaces that have been disinfected recently and show signs of compound deposits.
Surface Damage
Surface damage is a bit more serious than material deposits. While it is not as common as material deposits after disinfection, it happens quite often too. A lot of times, frequent disinfection of a particular surface can cause it to look dull, pitted, or show crack lines. When this occurs, this means the disinfected or cleaned surface has begun to show signs of permanent damage.
The best way to prevent surface damage is by using disinfectants that are made specifically for certain surfaces or the ones that have been certified safe for particular surfaces or objects.
However, the frequent use of any substance is likely to cause permanent damage after prolonged use. The bad part of surface damage is its ability to impede the proper disinfection of damaged surfaces due to irregular surface structure.
To ensure that your business premises are kept safe at all times, you should hire the services of a professional disinfection company like Safe From Spread. Safe From Spread will use industrial-grade and material-specific products that are non-toxic and eco-friendly yet just as effective as other leading commercial cleaning products to carry out thorough disinfection of your premises.