Why Your Healthcare Facility Needs A Top-Quality Cleaning Service

Infection and the spread of disease is always a high risk within healthcare environments such as clinics and hospitals. Although largely preventable, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are acquired while receiving medical or surgical care for other conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HAIs kill more people than car accidents, and breast and prostate cancer combined, and cost the U.S. healthcare system $96–$147 billion annually.

The 10 most common HAIs include Coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus species, Candida species, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter species, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella oxytoca.

HAIs occur in all types of healthcare settings, including acute care hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, dialysis facilities, outpatient care (e.g., physicians’ offices and health care clinics), and long-term care facilities (e.g., nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities).

Bodily fluids, airborne germs, human contact, and surface transmission are all ways that HAIs can be acquired. Failure to properly clean and disinfect surfaces and objects in these care environments can risk the health and safety of medical staff, workers, visitors, and the general public. Routine cleaning, and the use of chemical disinfectants and sterilants, are the most important defense against HAIs.

Factors To Consider When Choosing A Chemical Disinfectant

Prevention strategies may range from hand hygiene using antiseptics and low-level disinfectants to sterilization and the use of potent, high-level disinfectants. When choosing a chemical disinfectant product, the following factors should be considered:

Does the product claim to kill the pathogens that are of concern in your facility? (targeted microbes: hepatitis, HIV, C. Difficile, SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19], etc.)
How long does the chemical solution need to remain wet on the surface to reach its full kill-claim efficacy (dwell time)?
Is the product safe to use on most surfaces in your facility? Will the product cause corrosion or damage to different surfaces such as metal, plastic, fabric, etc.
Does the chemical disinfectant have acceptable toxicity and flammability rating?
Is personal protective equipment (PPE) needed when using the product? PPE can include gloves, gowns, masks, and/or eye protection. The exact type of PPE depends on the infectious or chemical agent and the anticipated duration of exposure.

Top 5 Chemical Disinfectants Used In Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities

Currently, there are five main EPA-registered chemicals that hospitals and medical facilities use for disinfectants, which include quaternary ammonium, hypochlorite, accelerated hydrogen peroxide, phenolics, and peracetic acid:

1). Quaternary Ammonium – Quaternary ammonium compounds are used broadly in routine cleaning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers quaternary to be a low-level disinfectant effective against most bacteria, enveloped viruses, and some fungi. It’s compatible with most hard surfaces. Quaternary ammonium products are best used on non-critical surfaces such as floors, bed-rails, tray tables, blood pressure cuffs, walls, and partitions.

2). Hypochlorite – Hypochlorites are the most commonly used chlorine disinfectants. This EPA-registered chemical is stable and fast-acting. While generally considered safe, bleach can cause skin and eye irritation. It is also corrosive to metal surfaces in high concentrations and can discolor fabric. Hypochlorites effectively kill bacteria, fungi, and viruses. These products can be used for bathrooms, food prep zones, and blood spills in hospitals and healthcare settings. All areas must be pre-cleaned to remove organic matter before disinfection.

3). Phenolics – EPA-registered phenolic disinfectants are used to disinfect surface areas and non-critical medical devices. Phenolic disinfectants are effective bactericides, fungicides, tuberculocides, and virucides, but are ineffective against spore-forming bacteria such as Clostridium difficile. Phenolic disinfectants disrupt the cell membrane of microorganisms, and two phenol derivatives used commonly in hospital disinfectants are orthophenylphenol (Amphyl, Reckitt Benckiser) and ortho-benzyl-parachlorophenol (Clorox Disinfectant Cleaner, The Clorox Company).

4). Hydrogen peroxide – Disinfectant solutions containing 7.5% hydrogen peroxide have been approved by the FDA for sterilization and high-level disinfection in healthcare settings. Hydrogen peroxide’s broad-spectrum bactericidal, virucidal, sporicidal, and fungicidal properties, combined with its excellent stability and environmentally friendly characteristics, have made it a good disinfectant choice for semi-critical and non-critical equipment while also being an ideal surface disinfectant.

5). Peracetic acid – Peracetic acid-based solutions are considered a more potent disinfectant than hydrogen peroxide. They are bactericidal, fungicidal, virucidal, mycobactericidal, and sporicidal low concentrations, and are environmentally-friendly. Pera cetic acid solutions have largely replaced traditional disinfectants for medical devices, endoscopes, and haemodialysers, and also act as an environmental surface sterilant. However, Peracetic acid can become unstable when diluted. Peracetic Acid can also corrode some metals such as copper and brass.

Top-Quality Medical and Healthcare Facility Cleaning Services

Cleanstart provides top-quality hospital and healthcare facility cleaning services in the greater Puget Sound area. Our highly-trained cleaning staff can handle a variety of healthcare settings, including medical office cleaning, hospital cleaning, out-patient surgical center cleaning, dialysis center cleaning, dental office cleaning, clinical/pathology lab cleaning, terminal cleaning, and infection control (e.g., hepatitis B virus [HBV], hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]), and SARS-CoV-2 – the coronavirus that causes COVID-19).

Our comprehensive hospital and healthcare facility cleaning services include:

Examination rooms
Pre and post-operative rooms
X-ray and imaging areas
Waiting rooms
Nurses stations
Administrative offices
Hallways, elevators
Break rooms and kitchens
Restrooms and locker rooms

From medical offices, outpatient clinics, and surgery centers, to hospitals, our professional cleaning staff uses the appropriate cleaning products and equipment for each job and has the necessary training and expertise to deliver consistent results.

Terminal Cleaning Service

Terminal cleaning is an intense disinfecting procedure in hospitals and healthcare facilities and commonly used for surgical settings and isolation rooms. Terminal cleaning may be required in the following circumstances:

Following an outbreak or increased incidence of infection
Following discharge, transfer, or death of a patient who has had a known infection
Following isolation/contact precaution nursing of a patient

Our terminal cleaning service includes removing all detachable objects in the room, cleaning lighting and air duct surfaces in the ceiling, and cleaning everything down to the floor. All items removed from the room are disinfected or sanitized before being returned to the room. Our professional cleaners have been thoroughly trained in the terminal cleaning process and know how to properly clean and disinfect these vital areas of your facility.

Strict Adherence to Government Regulatory Agencies

Our expert cleaning staff adheres to best practices and procedures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Through our rigorous approach to healthcare environmental cleaning, we make sure that your medical facility is clean, healthy, and safe.

Our Quality Assurance Guarantee

Daily, weekly and monthly visits are available as well as one-time emergency cleaning/disinfection visits. We guarantee our services. If for whatever reason, our 5-star quality cleaning standard is not met, we will correct the issue within one business day. Our combination of proven processes, high standards, and uncompromising customer service take healthcare facility cleaning services to the next level.

✓ Over 27 years in the cleaning and janitorial industry
✓ Professionally trained janitorial specialists
✓ Committed to the highest quality of clean
✓ Local, licensed, bonded & insured
✓ 24/7 cleaning options & support
✓ Customized cleaning solutions
✓ 100% satisfaction guarantee
✓ OSHA, HIPAA, EPA, CDC, AORN compliant
✓ A+ BBB-rating

Request a Free Estimate!

If you are looking for an experienced and reputable healthcare facility cleaning service, you can count on the experts at Cleanstart. For more information about our top-quality services or to request a free proposal, please give us a call today at (253) 921-2593.

Where We Service in the greater Puget Sound region:

Auburn, Bellevue, Bellingham, Bonney Lake, Bremerton, Factoria, Fife, Gig Harbor, Kent, Lakewood, Olympia, Puyallup, Renton, Seattle, Tacoma, Tukwila, University Place, King County, Kitsap County, Pierce County, and Thurston County.

5013 Pacific Hwy E unit 16 Fife, WA 98424 • Phone: 253.921.2593 • Email: Caleb @ thecleanstart.com

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Why Your Healthcare Facility Needs A Top-Quality Cleaning Service