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HAILEY, Idaho, March 26, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- With so much misinformation circulating amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Steri-Clean, Inc. CEO and featured expert cleaner/host on the Emmy-nominated A&E TV show, Hoarders, Cory Chalmers is compelled to take a stand to provide proper guidance on cleaning and disinfecting for the benefit of the public.
"I cannot stand by and watch as the American public is grossly misinformed about proper cleaning and disinfecting," said Chalmers. "There are lives at risk, businesses that could be subject to liability, and a vulnerable population who needs and deserves accurate information."
Chalmers and his nationwide Steri-Clean team advise the following: 1. Simply spraying disinfectants on countertops, door handles and other commonly touched surfaces is not enough to sufficiently rid the space of contagions. 2. Surfaces must first be cleaned with soap and water, or another alcohol- or bleach-based product to remove "biofilms," the cellular material left behind by human touch that blocks the disinfectant from effectively reaching and penetrating the virus. 3. Then to confirm a surface was properly cleaned, ATP* monitors should be utilized to test surfaces for cellular activity. Clean test results with minimal ATP ensures the surfaces have been cleaned enough to allow the disinfectant to penetrate any present viruses. *ATP monitors test for Adenosine Triphosphate which is stored energy found in all cells. While viruses do not contain cells, the removal of biofilms and cellular activity on all surfaces assures our disinfectants can properly kill the viruses. 4. Once the surface is cleaned, an EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectant listed as a disinfectant with an "Emerging Pathogens Claim" should be sprayed and left on the surface for the proper "dwell" time to take full effect. If the disinfectant dries before the mandatory dwell time, it is completely ineffective. 5. Finally, avoid hoarding cleaning supplies and personal protective gear that professionals need access to in order to properly disinfect and create safe environments in emergency vehicles, hospitals and other healthcare facilities, government buildings, commercial buildings, senior living facilities and residences. When these supplies are hoarded, professionals cannot service these critical environments, ultimately creating a shortage and putting more lives at risk.
Chalmers continued, "While a mass decontamination should be handled by a professional who can test and measure efficacy, we are equally shocked at the number of companies advertising these services who are not properly trained or certified to perform this type of disinfection. We are seeing pest control companies, car detailers, carpet cleaners, and everyday janitorial companies all claiming they can treat and disinfect for COVID-19. From reading their ads and seeing their promotional videos, it is beyond clear they are not taking the proper steps to make this claim, and doing so while not wearing any protective gear themselves. Merely spraying disinfectant everywhere is completely ineffective on killing or controlling the spread of this virus."
As CEO of Steri-Clean, Chalmers has over 25 years of experience disinfecting a wide variety of environments with exposures to Ebola, C. Difficile, Hepatitis, MRSA, Norovirus, and other microorganisms. Steri-Clean uses only EPA-registered products with documented "Emerging Pathogens" kill claims, which is COVID-19's current classification.
Chalmers urges the public to be smart and educated before choosing a company to perform a mass disinfection in a healthcare facility or workplace. It could mean a matter of life and death if not performed correctly, not to mention potential lawsuits for the companies making these claims without proper education, certification, or the correct equipment and system to perform the disinfection.
To find a qualified company, Chalmers urges the public to confirm the service provider:
SOURCE Steri-Clean
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"I cannot stand by and watch as the American public is grossly misinformed about proper cleaning and disinfecting," said Chalmers. "There are lives at risk, businesses that could be subject to liability, and a vulnerable population who needs and deserves accurate information."
Chalmers and his nationwide Steri-Clean team advise the following: 1. Simply spraying disinfectants on countertops, door handles and other commonly touched surfaces is not enough to sufficiently rid the space of contagions. 2. Surfaces must first be cleaned with soap and water, or another alcohol- or bleach-based product to remove "biofilms," the cellular material left behind by human touch that blocks the disinfectant from effectively reaching and penetrating the virus. 3. Then to confirm a surface was properly cleaned, ATP* monitors should be utilized to test surfaces for cellular activity. Clean test results with minimal ATP ensures the surfaces have been cleaned enough to allow the disinfectant to penetrate any present viruses. *ATP monitors test for Adenosine Triphosphate which is stored energy found in all cells. While viruses do not contain cells, the removal of biofilms and cellular activity on all surfaces assures our disinfectants can properly kill the viruses. 4. Once the surface is cleaned, an EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectant listed as a disinfectant with an "Emerging Pathogens Claim" should be sprayed and left on the surface for the proper "dwell" time to take full effect. If the disinfectant dries before the mandatory dwell time, it is completely ineffective. 5. Finally, avoid hoarding cleaning supplies and personal protective gear that professionals need access to in order to properly disinfect and create safe environments in emergency vehicles, hospitals and other healthcare facilities, government buildings, commercial buildings, senior living facilities and residences. When these supplies are hoarded, professionals cannot service these critical environments, ultimately creating a shortage and putting more lives at risk.
Chalmers continued, "While a mass decontamination should be handled by a professional who can test and measure efficacy, we are equally shocked at the number of companies advertising these services who are not properly trained or certified to perform this type of disinfection. We are seeing pest control companies, car detailers, carpet cleaners, and everyday janitorial companies all claiming they can treat and disinfect for COVID-19. From reading their ads and seeing their promotional videos, it is beyond clear they are not taking the proper steps to make this claim, and doing so while not wearing any protective gear themselves. Merely spraying disinfectant everywhere is completely ineffective on killing or controlling the spread of this virus."
As CEO of Steri-Clean, Chalmers has over 25 years of experience disinfecting a wide variety of environments with exposures to Ebola, C. Difficile, Hepatitis, MRSA, Norovirus, and other microorganisms. Steri-Clean uses only EPA-registered products with documented "Emerging Pathogens" kill claims, which is COVID-19's current classification.
Chalmers urges the public to be smart and educated before choosing a company to perform a mass disinfection in a healthcare facility or workplace. It could mean a matter of life and death if not performed correctly, not to mention potential lawsuits for the companies making these claims without proper education, certification, or the correct equipment and system to perform the disinfection.
To find a qualified company, Chalmers urges the public to confirm the service provider:
- Uses hospital-grade, CDC-approved processes, and EPA-registered disinfectants with a broad spectrum kill claim;
- Uses fully enclosed personal protective equipment with full-face respirator masks;
- Offers a thorough cleaning to remove biosolids from all surfaces;
- Applies proper disinfectants through one or more delivery methods, including electrostatic, whole room misting systems, fogging, and direct battery-powered or mechanical spraying systems; and
- Provides a team of trained and specialized technicians with the equipment and experience to handle large-scale disinfection services for commercial buildings, healthcare facilities and vehicles, residences and schools.
SOURCE Steri-Clean
