Fogging and Cleaning Companies See Boom Amid COVID-19
Fogging and Cleaning to Combat Coronavirus
Scientists are still studying the illness technically known as COVID-19 and commonly called the coronavirus. It is currently believed, however, that the virus responsible for the respiratory sickness can linger on surfaces and remain infectious for a while.
This points to the need to keep business and homes clean and sanitary to fight the spread of the illness. Because many people recognize this need in the Indianapolis area and elsewhere, fogging and cleaning companies are seeing an upturn in business. Some report five times as many calls for service as they would have normally expected.
Who’s Qualified for Fogging and Cleaning?
COVID-19 is quite infectious, and the consequences of contracting it can be life threatening, especially for the elderly or people with preexisting health conditions. For this reason, fogging and cleaning an environment suspected or known to be contaminated with coronavirus is an inherently risky endeavor that requires proper training, the proper equipment, and certification in trauma and hazardous material cleanup.
Fogging, Cleaning, and Risk Assessment
The normal fogging and cleaning process varies according to the risk assessment. There are three levels: low, medium, and high. Any situation involving potential exposure to COVID-19 is automatically considered high risk and thus in the same category as other hazardous materials jobs. (Cleaning companies may not have protocols specifically designed for coronavirus because, as the virus is relatively new, no professional agency has as yet developed any.)
How the Fogging and Cleaning Process Works
There are various tools and techniques available for sanitizing an area. When fogging a room, a thermal fogging system employs heat to create a sort of mist. One useful quality of the mist is that it easy reaches areas that can be hard to reach otherwise.
An electrostatic fogging machine produces an electrically charged fog that goes evenly on every type of surface. It can create a positively charged spray that’s drawn to negative surfaces.
Intense ultraviolet light can be used to kill viruses, bacteria, spores and other germs, including those resistant to antibiotics and those a manual cleaning process misses.
Additionally, spray guns filled with disinfectant can be used to sanitize door handles, desks, tabletops, shelves, and other surfaces.
Testing for Coronavirus After Fogging and Cleaning
You’ve probably heard that providing COVID-19 tests to all Americans who might need or want one is still a work in progress. So too is providing fogging and cleaning companies with the means to test an environment for coronavirus after sanitizing. There’s a good chance that fogging disinfection, done properly and professionally, has rid an environment of the virus, but at this point in time the management team overseeing the fogging and cleaning has to make a determination as to whether it’s safe for people to be inside.
Fogging and Cleaning for COVID-19: A Final Word
If you’d like your Indianapolis home or place of business fogged and cleaned to guard against the possibility of coronavirus, we invite you to contact Five Star Complete Restoration. Our experts have the training, equipment, and certifications to do the job right.