FAQs
More FAQs- When will I be able to walk on my floors?
- Will there be an odour after you clean the carpets?
- Isn't clean, disinfect and sanitize the same thing?
Hard-surface floors treated with an acrylic finish can be lightly walked on within an hour after the last coat was applied. We recommend allowing the floor to dry for 24 hours before allowing heavy traffic on it.
Depending on the type of carpet we’re cleaning, you may notice a faint scent. This is especially prevalent when cleaning wool carpets. The amount of time it takes for the odour to dissipate is usually within an hour but varies based on air circulation, heat and humidity. A big difference in the way ServiceMaster of Vancouver - Janitorial Management Services cleans carpet compared to many of our competitors is that we do not put soap in our rinse water. We pre-spray the carpets, remove the spots, then use clean water extraction to ensure that we do not leave any soapy residue behind. This allows for fresh, clean carpets
To the general public, these three terms — clean, disinfect, sanitize — are often used interchangeably. However, to a cleaning professional, these terms are not the same and can refer to very different outcomes. According to Public Health Canada and the U.S. Center for Disease Control, the definition of these terms are as follows:
CleanThis refers to the removal of visible dirt and debris through the use of soap or detergent and water. While this process may remove germs from surfaces, it does not necessarily kill the germs. This said, the mere act of germ removal lowers their numbers and does help in reducing the risk of infection.
DisinfectWith disinfection, germs are actually KILLED on surfaces through the use of chemicals. 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.
SanitizeLastly, the term sanitize has its roots in the word “Sanitary” which is defined as “of or relating to health”. When you keep this in mind, to sanitize means lowering the number of germs on surfaces to a safe level, as judged by public health standards or requirements. This can be achieved by either cleaning and/or disinfecting surfaces to lower the risk of spreading infection.
Not to confuse you anymore, but as an added bonus, we’ll also define the term “sterilize” which is the process in which chemicals are used to kill ALL microbial life including bacteria, viruses, spores and fungi. This is a process that is very rarely undertaken in a facility outside of a healthcare setting.
So, for a cleaning professional, our disinfection process for your commercial facility is routinely a 2-step process - We clean first, then disinfect - in order to provide you with a sanitary facility in which to work!
Sources:
- https://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/cleaning.htm
- https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/cleaning-disinfecting-public-spaces.html
- https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/bp-cleaning-disinfection-sterilization-hcs.pdf?la=en
- https://www.foodsafety.ca/blog/understanding-difference-between-cleaning-sanitizing-sterilizing
