H1N1 has led to increased focus on how everyday hygiene affects our health. Not only is more attention given to managing personal hygiene, but a new cleaning logic is emerging, where wiping the door knob an extra time each day is considered more important than picking up the dust in the corner.
H1N1 has made hygiene top-of-mind, particularly with business owners and operators. Employers are upgrading their washroom equipment and making efforts to educate their staff on different measures to reduce the risk of catching H1N1 and the common influenza virus. Hand hygiene as well as keeping surfaces clean and free from germs is regarded as a natural way to contain the spread of swine flu.
“H1N1 has increased the focus on how hygiene affects our health,” says Dr. Allison Aiello, assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan and Tork® Green Hygiene Council member. “While handwashing is one of the most important ways to reduce the risk of contracting and spreading the flu virus, it is equally important to keep common objects and surfaces clean. This combination provides the best chance at preventing the spread of the H1N1 or common seasonal flu virus in one’s home or workplace.”
The influenza virus can survive on surfaces for up to eight hours and may spread when a person touches droplets, left by hands, coughs or sneezes, on hard surfaces or objects and then touches his or her mouth or nose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that frequently touched surfaces are to be wiped clean on a regular basis.
Single-use logic when cleaning frequently touched surfaces
Viruses can survive on cloth and spread between different surfaces or objects. Due to this, one cloth should not be used over and over again. Single-use products, such as paper towels or disposable cloths, minimize the risk of germs from a contaminated object being passed on to another surface.
“Reducing the risk of cross-contamination gives cleaning yet another important part to play, besides maintaining facilities and fighting bacteria. Using single-use paper towels and detergent spray on frequently touched objects reduces the risk of cross-contamination,” says Dr. Aiello.