Disinfect Thoroughly
According to the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)1, know the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing is key to effective infection control:
Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces or objects. Cleaning works by using soap (or detergent) and water to physically remove germs from surfaces. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.
Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces or objects. Disinfecting works by using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces or objects. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.
Sanitising lowers the number of germs on surfaces or objects to a safe level, as judged by public health standards or requirements. This process works by either cleaning or disinfecting surfaces or objects to lower the risk of spreading infection.
3 Product Areas to Improve Infection Control
Mattress
Bacteria accumulate on mattresses. Check your mattress’s health regularly and ensure all mattress parts are in good working order.
For example, many hospital-grade pressure mattresses, such as the ProCair Plus, can be decontaminated with chlorine, alcohol or peroxide-based disinfectant.
For foam mattress like Area Care, laundry powder residue, starch, and skin cells can be abrasive. Replace soiled mattress.
Is the mattress cover still in good shape to provide a hygienic surface to minimise wound infection?
Our Foam Mattress Health Checklist can help to guide you through some essential areas to check if it is time to replace or repair your mattresses.
Shower Chair and Commodes
Because shower chair and commodes are constantly exposed to moisture and body waste, the equipment should have a completely sealed construction to make effective cleaning possible.
For better infection control, choose an ergonomic design with no welding seams to harbour bacteria.
A good shower chair, stool or commode is designed to withstand harsh usage environments, including domestic and commercial environments like hospitals.
This requires the products to be thoroughly cleaned, disinfected and sanitized, with the ability to ramp up this process if required.
For example, the Swedish Etac showering and toileting products can be cleaned using any solvent-free cleaning agents with a PH level between 5 and 9.
Alternatively, they can be cleaned with a 70% disinfectant solution. If further cleaning is required, these products can be decontaminated in a washing machine, disinfector or similar device at 85ºC for 3 minutes to further improve infection control.
LESS PARTS = LESS INFECTION RISKS
 | Ergonomically-designed Etac Clean is robustly built to withstand industrial grade disinfecting process with no welding seams or holes.Etac Clean cleaning instruction here. |
Disposable Slings
Slings are not only back-savers in the healthcare facilities; they are also great cost savers because the chance of staff injuries is significantly reduced.
But here is another reason for using slings in this heightened state of strictest infection control, and that is disposable slings minimise body-to-body contact.
Single-use disposable slings prevent cross-contamination from infected patients while transporting them safely. A good disposable sling is made from non-woven, spun-bond polypropylene for a distinctly more comfortable feel against bare skin.
Infection control is everyone’s responsibility. By selecting products designed with infection control in mind, facility and hospital purchasers and managers are protecting their teams from unnecessary risk to infection, as well as creating a more hygienic environment for the patients and users to recover.
References:
1. How To Clean and Disinfect Schools To Help Slow the Spread of Flu https://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/cleaning.htm