tains or upholstered furniture, points out Ms. Pettis. For these sur-
faces, she says, use a cleaning product with a label identifying it as a
soft surface disinfectant. Additionally, because disinfectant wipes
have been in short supply, some facilities have resorted to spray dis-
infectants. "Avoid spraying them onto cloth washcloths, because
cloth doesn't adhere very well to the disinfectant," says Ms. Pettis.
She recommends using microfiber cloths instead.
"I'm a big advocate of using disposable disinfecting wipes," says Mr.
Hicks. However, he warns that using the same wipe to clean different
areas in he OR increases the risk of spreading the virus. "Use one
wipe per surface and throw it away."
3. Tap into technology
While surface disinfection heavily revolves around manual labor,
technology can provide a huge helping hand. "It's one more tool in
your toolbelt," says Ms. Pettis, referring to ultraviolent (UV) disin-
fecting robots and air purification systems. "No matter how well-
intentioned staff are, they're in a hurry and under pressure. It's easy
for them to miss surfaces. Technology is a safeguard to add on top
of the basics. It provides an added sense of security and protection."
Mr. Hicks is bullish on electrostatic sprayers, which emit a mist that
clings to surfaces based on interplay between positive and negative
charges. "You can treat OR surfaces in about three minutes, where UV
could take an hour," he says. "It's one of the most effective ways of
delivering disinfectant to precleaned surfaces. It gets into the cracks
and crevices that don't always get touched by wiping."
4. Cover common areas
Don't forget to regularly clean public restrooms. "Ideally, you'd like to
think those areas get sanitized after each use," says Ms. Pettis.
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