With the recent pandemic, a lot of things has changed in life and the way businesses operate. Today it has become more than necessary for hospitals, retails, and other commercial areas to regularly disinfect their space and ensure that their facilities are clean from any pathogens and viruses. However, disinfection can be of different types, ranging from basics to advance. It can involve a series of steps to make a medical instruments, premises and devices safe for handling.
Disinfection reduces contamination level within the materials and surroundings by neutralising microorganisms or other harmful substances. High level disinfection kills the majority of microbial life, viruses and bacteria. Usually, these procedures are performed by trained and experienced cleaning staff or decontamination workers; however, the latest advancement in technologies can provide a feasible alternative. Today, there are several disinfectant examples, including treatment using Hydrogen peroxide or Chlorine solution.
Some practices of disinfection include using alcohol and quat blends, which can attack pathogens like norovirus making your premises safe from bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. Another way is the use of bleach and combining it with hydrogen peroxide blends that can create a highly effective disinfect. Bleach is also often used in disinfecting a healthcare setting and attacks mycobacteria, viruses and pathogens.
However, there are other methods of high-level disinfection to kill microbes that can cause illness. Some of these includes.
Chlorine solution: 0.1% chlorine may be used with boiled water to create an effective disinfecting composition. It is a type of HLD and can neutralise bacteria and viruses within 20 minutes of contact. After disinfection, you should thoroughly rinse the equipment with boiled water and then wipe it with a sterile cloth before use. However, avoid this solution on stainless steel since it is damaging to the material.
Hydrogen peroxide solution: You can prepare another HLD substance using Hydrogen Peroxide. It can be made by adding the chemical to boiling water and it takes around 30 minutes to disinfect the surface or materials. Keep the composition of Hydrogen peroxide between 6%-10% for best results and to prevent it from turning acidic. Also, avoid using this solution on items made from rubbers and plastics, zinc, and brass instruments since it can damage their external surface.
Glutaraldehyde: Glutaraldehyde is a disinfectant and should be made as per the instructions of the manufacturer. It is often used to sterilise surgical instruments and other places of the hospital. After using it on instruments, make sure to rinse them properly and dry them with a sterile cloth
Chlorine Dioxide and Phytoncide: It is an airborne disinfectant that can kills germs, and most importantly, causes no harm to human health，and doesn’t cause any irritation to the eyes or skin. It’s also safe for the environment. Moreover, the disinfection process can be done in the presence of people and the equipment doesn’t need to be rinses after using the disinfectant. It’s a great choice and a better alternative to traditional disinfectants. The Phytoncide content used is able to protect the surface of the object for a certain period of time.
The above types of High-Level Disinfection are used in healthcare settings to kill bacteria and viruses that can cause diseases or infection to spread in a facility. However, these are all the traditional ways, and with the advent of COVID 19, we can’t solely rely on them for sterilisation. Instead, hospitals, retail and other commercial facilities need to employ the latest technology such as robots to effectively disinfect their premises.
There are a range of robotic solutions available today for disinfection, and one such is the VirusGuard Robot. Even though the use of robots may sound outside the box, but it is quickly gathering pace and replacing the traditional method of high-level disinfection used in commercial facilities.
It is a robotics solution that aims to help businesses effectively and proficiently use technology to disinfect their spaces. The VirusGuard is equipped with a nozzle-spray system and sanitises an area using an effective and risk-free disinfectant when needed. You can also pre-set schedules for cleaning your premises to make sure your facility is constantly disinfected and free from pathogens.
It uses one of the high-level disinfectants we discussed earlier that is Chlorine Dioxide and Phytoncide, which isn’t harmful for human health neither harsh on any surface.
The VirusGuard is a highly efficient robot and comes with a lot of features. Using this, you don’t have to worry about chemical compositions or boil water to create a disinfectant. Instead, the robots do all the tedious work and spray to disinfect the air and surfaces, protecting your customers and employees. The robot is also programmed to auto-return to the base to recharge itself and can also map locations, routes and schedules, saving you a lot of time.
There is no denying the fact that traditional methods to induce high level disinfection in business premises can be harmful. Using ingredients such as chlorine and hydrogen peroxide can be dangerous if not handled with care. You need to employ people who are experienced in creating disinfecting ingredients, which can require special skills.
As a business, you also need to invest in personal protective equipment (PPE), which can increase your overall cost of disinfecting the space. Alternatively, you can get help from the VirusGuard robot, which can be tailored to your cleaning requirements, helping you cut down the cleaning process while ensuring maximum high-level disinfection.
