Electrostatic Disinfection | NewWay Janitorial

Hypochlorous acid?! The name sounds ominous, let alone eco-friendly. Electrostatic disinfection?! Sounds too high-tech to be readily available. Yet, when it comes to disinfecting, these two pack a tough (but incredibly safe) punch.

Traditional disinfectants leave a lot to be desired. They are harsh, heavily scented, unsafe chemicals. They leave a sticky residue. And, traditional methods of using them are inadequate at best.

As cleaning professionals, our job is to kill germs, not spread them around. Every disinfectant requires a certain amount of "dwell" or "wet" time; that is, the disinfectant must remain on the surface for "x" number of minutes to kill viruses and bacteria. Further, disinfectant cannot work on a soiled surface - the surface must first be cleaned.

Most cleaning professionals are taught one of two techniques: spray disinfectant and wipe it up immediately, or spray disinfectant and let it sit while performing other tasks. The former obviously accomplishes nothing, as there is no dwell time. The latter method, while possibly ensuring the disinfectant has time to do its job, has its pitfalls too.

Here's the typical scenario: a cleaner enters a restroom, sprays disinfectant on sinks, urinals and toilet seats, then proceeds to stock paper products, clean mirrors, and empty trash and sanitary liners. Afterward, they clean the sinks, toilets and urinals. Usually, not enough time has elapsed for the disinfectant to do its job. And, since the surfaces are likely soiled, it won't work anyway.

Even worse is the inevitability of cross-contamination with this method. The cleaner must touch the toilet seat to spray it. Bacteria from the toilet seat then ends up on your paper products and mirrors. Bacteria from the trash can and sanitary napkin disposal ends up on your newly-disinfected sinks and toilet seats, stall doors, and other bathroom surfaces. Finally, since it's practically impossible to clean a toilet without touching areas that weren't previously disinfected, that bacteria ends up on the cleaner's gloves and everything they touch afterward. Gross!

Enter electrostatic disinfection.

Electrostatic sprayers have been used in the automotive painting industry for decades. They work by giving the solutions sprayed from them a positive charge. Since most surfaces are negatively charged (or neutral), the droplets produced by electrostatic sprayers seek out and stick to these surfaces (opposites attract). And since like charges repel one another, the droplets "fan out," wrapping evenly around the entirety of the surface.

Pump (or trigger) sprayers produce droplets far too large to penetrate into all the nooks and crannies of a surface. Conversely, foggers produce droplets so small that they dry too quickly to allow for proper dwell time. Electrostatic sprayers, on the other hand, produce droplets just large enough to remain on surfaces long enough to disinfect them, yet small enough to avoid waste and the sticky, unsightly residue left behind by traditional application methods.

Thorough disinfection, then, is best accomplished by electrostatically spraying surfaces that have already been cleaned. But who wants to use dangerous, smelly disinfectants when there are safer alternatives?

Enter hypochlorous acid.

Hypochlorous acid is a weak (almost neutral) acid found naturally in our white blood cells. It is the most powerful disinfectant in the chlorine family, but without any of the nasty precautions of bleach. In fact, hypochlorous acid is so safe that, even at hospital strength, it requires no personal protective equipment (gloves, etc). It is used in wound care, water treatment, and is FDA-approved as a food-safe sanitizer. It can be safely sprayed onto virtually any surface.

Hypochlorous acid is simply electrolyzed salt water. That is, an electrical current is passed through a saltwater solution, changing the chemical nature of the solution. Although it has been used as a disinfectant for more than 100 years, its short shelf life has made it impractical to use commercially. Recently, however, scientists have discovered how to make it shelf-stable (by balancing its pH) and it has become widely available.

Another benefit of hypochlorous acid is its barely-detectable scent. Most disinfectants are heavily scented to cover up noxious odors. But, if surfaces are properly cleaned, there should be no odor to cover up in the first place. Why risk exacerbating allergies and asthma when it's not necessary?

Cleaning professionals take their germ-killing responsibilities very seriously. Remember, just because something looks clean doesn't mean it is!