FMJ.CO.UK
HYGIENE DOES NOT STOP AT
THE WASHROOM SAYS
KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL
Keeping ourselves and others safe and well – the
science behind surface wiping
Current conditions have changed our daily lives in a
short period of time. Now more than ever we all want
to know that we are doing everything we can to keep
ourselves and our colleagues and visitors safe and
well. To ensure we can do this requires understanding
the science behind surface wiping and cleaning, says
Kimberly-Clark Professional.
We want to know that the people we are in contact
with have washed their hands properly and that the
places we go are as clean and as hygienic as possible.
For example: Are our schools and universities clean?
Will o ice workers clean their work surfaces properly
to avoid spreading germs? How hygienic are the
surfaces in our hospitals? How many germs are found
on shopping trolley handles?
Creating a more hygienic workplace, healthcare
facility and place to shop and eat does not stop at
the washroom. The Centers for Disease Control &
Prevention (CDC) recommends prioritising the daily
cleaning and disinfecting of hot spots in facilities from
o ices, to schools, hospitals, shops, and places to eat.
“Objects that are touched by lots of people
throughout the day such as door handles, elevator
buttons and shopping trolleys should be cleaned
and disinfected frequently in order to break the
chain of germ transmission. Many of our customers
are needing to think in a di erent way about what,
how and how o en they clean, to keep people safe,”
says Steve Jones, General Manager (UK and Ireland),
Kimberly-Clark Professional. “Understanding the
di erence between cleaning and disinfecting enables
facilities to manage hygiene more e ectively and
prioritise frequently touched surfaces.”
Cleaning vs. Disinfecting
Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and other impurities
from surfaces or objects by using detergent (or soap
and water) to physically remove germs from surfaces.
This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by
removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of
spreading infection.
Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces or objects by
using chemicals. This process does not necessarily
clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing
germs on a surface a er cleaning, it can further lower
the risk of spreading infection.
The CDC recommends a two-step daily routine to
clean frequently touched surfaces. For Step 1 clean
surface with a detergent or soap and water. With
Step 2 disinfect the surface using an EN-registered
MONTH IN FM
JUNE 2020 49
disinfectant. The CDC guidelines also recommend
providing disposable wipes so that commonly used
surfaces can be wiped down before each use. Surfaces
considered hot spots for germs also include computer
keyboards, phones and light switches. Science
indicates why these surfaces need daily hygiene
protocols in addition to hand hygiene standards in
facilities.
The average desk has 400 times more bacteria than
a toilet seat, a keyboard harbours 8,900 bacteria and a
mobile phone harbours 6,300 bacteria. In healthcare
facilities 67% of soap buckets tested harboured
bacteria, with 93% of cleaning towels sampled
containing live bacteria.
A study by Dr. Charles Gerba on shopping trollies
found E.coli on almost half of those tested. These
germs may be transferred from the trolley to hands,
to food and the face. With adults touching 7,200
surfaces and touching their face 552 times in the
span of 24 hours, then we can see why that in today’s
current conditions tougher hygiene protocols are
required. While placing hand sanitiser and signage
in o ices and common areas is a step in the right
direction, studies show it simply is not enough to
make a real impact.
No matter which surface areas they come
into contact with throughout the day, give your
employees, visitors, patients and customers greater
peace of mind by providing proven cleaning and
disinfecting solutions to help break the chain of
germ transmission. In the midst of change, creating
exceptional workplaces includes doing everything
you can to ensure that we all use proper hand hygiene
protocols and that shared surfaces are clean and
hygienic.
For more information about how to make your
facility truly exceptional – a place where everyone
feels equipped and empowered to contribute to a
more hygienic environment – visit our hand and
surface cleaning page.
www.kcprofessional.co.uk
/www.kcprofessional.co.uk
/UK_Healthy_Workplace_Cleaning_0520
/UK_Healthy_Workplace_Cleaning_0520
