Never before have we been more acutely aware of the importance of cleanliness to prevent the spread of disease. Sanitation and air quality can mean the difference between a business staying open and shutting their doors forever. Commercial ozone cleanings provide advanced disinfection for hospitals, schools, and businesses by eliminating bacteria and viruses from all hard and soft surfaces, as well as airborne particles. A naturally derived gas, ozone safely kills pathogens in our environment without the use of harsh chemicals. As we navigate the difficulties of this COVID-19 pandemic, ozone cleanings can help give you, your employees, and your customers peace of mind that your establishment is doing everything it can to prevent the spread of illness.
Cleaning Standards for Businesses
The CDC provides cleaning guidelines for businesses operating during the pandemic, including routine cleanings as well as recommendations for disinfecting after a confirm
ed case of COVID-19 has been discovered. Businesses are encouraged to develop a plan for regularly disinfecting the workspace as well as protocol should a confirmed case of COVID-19 be discovered. Of course, each business’s plan will be tailored to the specific circumstances within that business, varying greatly depending on what types of surfaces need to be cleaned and how often. If a business is open to the public, more frequent cleanings will be needed to ensure a clean environment for each customer.
If a business has a confirmed case of COVID-19, the CDC recommends closing off all areas used by the person who became sick to fully disinfect the workspace. In some cases, where businesses are able to isolate the areas used by the sick employee, it may not be necessary to completely shut the business down while sanitizing. But in other cases, particularly for businesses open to the public like retail stores and restaurants, it is extremely difficult to pinpoint every place the employee may have been while infected with COVID-19. To properly disinfect after a confirmed case of COVID-19, all surfaces the sick employ potentially came into contact with need to be cleaned in such a way that will eliminate the virus. This includes furniture, shared electronic equipment, and products they may have handled. In many cases, businesses are forced to close down operations for two weeks, even while sanitizing the space, to allow any lingering traces of the coronavirus to die.
How Ozone Disinfects Your Business
Most people are familiar with the ozone layer, which protects life on Earth by shielding us from the sun’s heat and harmful radiation. Formed by a chemical reaction between oxides of nitrogen and hydrocarbons, ozone is composed of three oxygen atoms (O3). It is inherently unstable because the bond between three oxygen atoms is not nearly as strong as the bond between two. When this bond is broken, two atoms join together to create O2, leaving one atom to join up with unstable compounds and dissipate. This process neutralizes pollutants, allergens, pathogens, and odors by breaking them down at the molecular level.
By producing a specific, controlled current, professional ozone cleanings can purify a business by flooding it with high concentrations of ozone. The ozone sanitizes both hard and soft surfaces by getting into the difficult to reach nooks and crannies and penetrating carpets, walls, furniture fabrics, and clothing alike. Researchers at Georgia Tech investigating the effectiveness of ozone for disinfecting PPE for healthcare workers have touted ozone as one of the “friendliest and cleanest ways of deactivating viruses and killing most any pathogen.” Research using “enveloped” viruses, similar to the coronavirus, showed ozone was effective at eliminating the virus by damaging its lipid outer membrane and interfering with its ability to attach to a host cell.
Ozone reacts on a molecular level with organic matter and is considered a toxic gas for any living thing – people, pets (including fish), and plants. In order for an ozone cleaning to be done safely and effectively, it is critically important that the area is properly prepped by a trained professional beforehand and properly vented afterward. Though there are many ozone generators available on the open market, Aapex Construction & Restoration never advises homeowners or business owners to attempt to perform an ozone cleaning without the help of a trained professional.
Even when we are not dealing with the difficulties presented by running a business in the midst of a pandemic, regular ozone cleanings provide the cleanest possible environment for your workplace using the least amount of chemicals. Now, more than ever, air purification can make a big difference in helping your employees and customers feel safe in your establishment. After hours ozone cleaning purifies the air from mold, viruses, bacteria, and persistent odors. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
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