COVID-19 and Virus Disinfection in Baltimore, MD

You can use alcohol-based hand sanitizer to reduce germs on your hands when washing with soap and water is unavailable. Rub all areas of your hands until dry using a sanitizer that has at least 60 percent alcohol. Rooms, electronics and furnishings should not be disinfected with hand sanitizer, which is intended for hands. Visibly soiled hands should be washed with water and soap.

An EPA-registered disinfectant should have label directions supporting the target virus or an emerging viral pathogen. The label matters more than a product's scent or strength. For intended performance, follow the label's directions about surfaces, product dilution, application, protective equipment and contact time.

Remove visible dirt before using an EPA-registered disinfectant appropriate for both the target virus and surface. Apply full coverage and let the surface remain wet throughout the label's contact period. Never mix cleaning chemicals, ventilate according to directions and wear the protective equipment listed on the label.

Viruses can be biological hazards because they can cause disease. How much risk exists is shaped by the setting, task, route of exposure and virus. Your plan for disinfection needs to fit the real hazard. Access restrictions, protective equipment, cleaning and a suitable disinfectant each play a part, though none can replace all the others.

Completion may take one visit when the home area is limited and focused. A school, large office or commercial facility could require more time or cleaning in separate stages. Timing depends on room count, furnishings, sensitive surfaces, product contact times and access. Ask for the scope to identify its covered areas and show any directions for reentry.

When surface type, alcohol concentration and wet contact duration are suitable, the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 may be inactivated. Use either an EPA-registered product on hard surfaces or one the surface maker recommends, always following its label. Do not spray alcohol near heat or flame, and do not assume a quick wipe gives enough contact time.

The virus that causes COVID-19 is a biological agent, so work in the presence of known illness calls for precautions against exposure. Setting and the presence of regulated waste, bodily fluids or blood determine the precise cleanup category. Routine surface disinfection is not the same task as blood cleanup or hazardous waste removal.

Coverage does not apply by default. Many policies may view routine or preventive disinfection as maintenance, while another event may be treated differently depending on the policy. Explain the reason for the work when calling your insurance company, then ask about the deductible, exclusions and records you must submit. Keep your photos and invoice, plus the product list and scope, so the claim can be checked.

Read the disinfectant label and furniture care instructions after checking if the wooden surface is sealed. A compatible product may be used on sealed wood after spot testing. Unfinished or delicate wood can stain, swell or lose its finish, so avoid soaking it. When a surface is not permitted by the label, choose a material-appropriate method.

Start with rooms and touch points used by the ill person. Keep other people away, clean visible soil and disinfect compatible hard surfaces according to the product label. Wash suitable fabrics according to their care directions. For sensitive materials, large common areas or documented room-by-room scopes, a professional visit may be useful.