According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the best practice to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in households and work settings is to first clean visibly dirty surfaces and then disinfect them. Cleaning can refer to simply wiping it down with a cloth or sanitizing it.
Enviro-Master Pittsburgh, a leading purveyor of commercial restroom services, has come to the rescue of all types of businesses situated throughout Pittsburgh, western Pennsylvania and surrounding areas who are seeking help in protecting their employees and their families from the terrible escalation of Covid-19.
In the words of Michael G. Schmidt, PhD, professor of microbiology at the Medical University of South Carolina and chair of the American Society of Microbiology’s Council on Microbial Sciences: “The key areas to address are surfaces that are shared by family members and those that come in close contact with bodily fluid. If your windows are dirty, they aren’t a big concern to your health, but a doorknob touched after a sneeze can be.”
The Story of Enviro-Master Services
Our superior bathroom hygiene options could not be more relevant than in this time of global anxiety concerning contagion and infection. The scope of the corona virus has reached monumental proportions throughout the modern world, and has forced a compelling awareness of the importance of general hygiene, proper hand washing and the sanitizing and disinfecting of vulnerable surfaces. It is estimated that a potent virus can spread throughout an office building within the span of 2 to 4 hours.
Founded in 1983, Enviro-Master’s mission across the years is and always has been: Building a healthier world, one restroom at a time. When it comes to restroom cleaning, they focus on going that extra mile, the importance of which cannot be overestimated in light of the contagion currently spreading across the world.
This franchised world leader in hygiene services for public restroom has satisfied clients all over the country and they can handle disease and odor prevention in ways that janitorial services are not equipped to handle on their own. Their strategies and solutions are augmented by the sale of low cost soaps, paper and cleaning products that often offset the price of cleaning services.
The Difference Between Sanitizing and Disinfecting
While these two words are often used synonymously, there are important distinctions between them. It boils down to the simple fact that while sanitizers reduce the number of germs on a specified surface, it is the disinfectants that destroy most of them.
To add a note of confusion to this distinction, the words, hand sanitizer, are a misnomer, since the main anti-bacterial component in these products is alcohol, which is actually a disinfectant. Sanitizers usually work faster than disinfectants, and they do help to reduce the risk of infection because they effectively lower the total number of germs on a particular surface or object.
To quote Alexander Aiken, MB, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: “While sanitizing reduces the amount of bacteria, viruses and other microbes on a surface, disinfectants kill almost all of them.” “Stephanie Dancer, consultant microbiologist and Professor of Microbiology at Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland states that the reason for this is “because disinfectants include chemicals, like hydrogen peroxide, that decontaminate a surface or object by producing destructive free radicals that attack cell components.”
Dwell time, which refers to how long it takes for products to work, also factors into the distinction between sanitizers and disinfectants. Once again according to Aiken, ”Sanitizers can work almost immediately, whereas the chemicals in disinfectants take up to 10 minutes to kill germs. That’s why it’s important to follow the directions on the product label for effective use.”
Relevant Studies and Statistics
A new study from a federal laboratory testing SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the current crisis, suggests that pathogens may remain infectious on surfaces for hours and even days, depending on where they lay.
The study tested the virus lifespan on a variety of different surfaces and indicated that “the virus can survive on hard surfaces, such as plastic and stainless steel, for up to 72 hours, and on cardboard for up to 24 hours. However, the virus remained viable on copper for only about four hours.” Its lifespan on softer surfaces, such as clothing or carpeting, is still unknown.
A 2019 study conducted by Dr. Charles Gerba, Ph.D., a microbiologist from the University of Arizona, tested the effectiveness of Enviro-Master’s germicide products in a typical office break-room, a restroom, and a classroom. The study indicated that there was a 99% reduction in bacteria found in the food preparation area and a 96% decrease in bacteria around the sink countertop.
They also tested the effectiveness of Enviro-Master’s Sani-Guard service in the classroom and discovered that after each weekly treatment, bacteria levels on the desktops were reduced by 99.2%, which therefore was proven effective at decreasing the risk of a person getting ill to 1 in a million.
Protecting Pittsburgh From The Spread Of Covid-19
Enviro-Master Pittsburgh’s top priority is and always has been to create a healthy and happy workplace ambiance for a myriad of diverse industries including: hospitality; schools and colleges; hospitals and health care facilities; restaurant and food-related services; shopping and apartment complexes and many others.
Our extensive array of hygiene products and services geared towards public restrooms, large or small include: deep fixture cleaning, tile and grout deep cleaning; fruit fly and drain control; paper products; soaps and sanitizers; air fresheners and their comprehensive Sani-Services program.
The ambient-air-care masters at Air-Scent International secured the Enviro-Master franchise territory for Pittsburgh and Western PA in 2014 as a means to complement both their pest control and air freshener businesses. The merger represents a synthesis of skills, products, and experience that is unique to the modern marketplace. As president of the Pestco Professional Services, Arnold Zlotnik, brings a wealth of experience in both operating and expanding a multi-generational, highly successful business.
The Sani-Service Sanitizing Program
Under the aegis of Enviro-Master, every business owner can expect a certified health and safety technician to visit and conduct a deep cleaning of the restroom, which involves removing persistent uric scale and other soils, which provide a food source for bacteria and cause serious malodors.
Services include a deep cleaning and the sanitizing of restrooms fixtures by coating them with a powerful germicidal barrier that lasts for a week and protects all bathroom users.
Our experts at Enviro Master are well aware that effective bathroom cleaning really begins after the janitorial staff leaves the building. Porcelain surfaces, such as soap-applicators and sinks, may appear clean, but they are havens for harmful bacteria and germs.
Door-knobs, stalls and almost every tactile restroom surface are also vulnerable to bacterial invasion. This situation is constantly compounded by the fact that every time someone flushes a toilet, millions of particles containing pathogens are released into the air, and they can spread up to twenty feet!
In light of the terrible impact of Covid-19, two Enviro-Master products in particular are vital to reducing its spread and should be incorporated into the cleaning and disinfecting regimen of every facility; namely the Sani Guard Virus Vaporizer and the Electrostatic Disinfecting Spray Systems.
The Sani-Guard Virus Vaporizer
This product is usually the finishing touch on a cleaning project. It creates a germicidal fog, which has a dual function. It protects bathroom surfaces and prevents them from absorbing germs until technicians return on their next visit for a re-application.
Sani-Guard uses oxygen to kill bacteria, which makes it impossible for virus pathogens to build a resistance to the product. Harmless to humans and the environment, Sani-Guard can be used anywhere. It is food safe and can be applied to all surfaces even in food preparation sections, which is why it is recommended to restaurants, food courts, gyms, day care centers, schools, offices and others.
The Electrostatic Disinfecting Spray System
The state-of-the art Electrostatic Disinfecting Spray System is used to disinfect touch points. Technicians wear proper protective equipment ( PPE ) as they apply this sprayer, which distributes an environmentally safe, EPA-registered material proven to kill 99.9% of all germs and the Covid 19 virus. It targets specific surfaces by placing a positive or negative charge on the disinfectant itself as it leaves the spray nozzle. This enables it to adhere more effectively to all surfaces.
Other Important Hygiene Sani-Service Products
Restroom hygiene products can be expensive, but Enviro-Master offers a simple and cost-effective way to save money on essential items such as: paper towels, toilet paper; Tear-N-Dry towel dispensers; hand sanitizer; toilet tissue dispensers; poly-scrub heavy duty hand cleaner; sanitary wax bags; soap dispensers and air freshening solutions supplied by the ambient air-care masters at Air- Scent International.
The Enviro-Master Paper Products Program
Companies that enroll in this program can be certain that their facilities will always be well stocked with necessary hygiene products. One of Enviro-Master’s most popular products is the single-use paper towel, which far surpasses the efficiency of hand dryers, which spread water infused with germs throughout a restroom.
There are two types; center-pull or multi-fold towels for the chosen dispenser. Toilet tissue in jumbo rolls is also extremely convenient and can be delivered anywhere without any effort on the part of the owner or manager of a commercial enterprise. Whatever the commercial restroom need might be, Enviro-Master has the paper product solution.
In conclusion
In these unprecedented terrible times Enviro-Master Pittsburgh is here for you. If you own an essential business anywhere throughout Greater Pittsburgh or Western PA, and you and your employees are still working at your office, restaurant or any other type of business facility, we can protect you and your fellow staff members. We have decades of experience disinfecting and sanitizing facilities.
Call Enviro-Master Pittsburgh (412) 462–5225 today!