Hi there!
We’ve been getting a lot of questions about Covid-19, Coronavirus, fogging, whole space disinfection, and sanitization. This is the starting point to answer those questions.
We’re also watching the news and seeing the headlines. We know that sometimes is hard to NOT get scared!
Thankfully there is some good news out there!
We continue talking to doctors, scientists, and other experts, as well as staying on top of what the CDC, EPA, and other good sources are publishing. There really is a lots of good news!
But to put that in context, we need to start with understanding what’s scary about Sars-Cov-2.
Coronaviruses are emerging diseases. They’re good at making the jump from one host species to another.
Usually when a virus tries to jump host species – say from bats to people – it doesn’t survive in the new host. But when it does – and when it can transmit between members of the new host species – that’s when you get fast spread of a disease, like we have now.
This is what gets scary; it’s a new disease, what’s going to happen? How’s it going to play out?
It feels like we don’t know what to expect.
But in fact we do know quite a bit about this family of viruses – and we’re learning more about this particular virus every day. We’re not flying blind.
Coronaviruses fall into the category of “envelope viruses”.
That means that their genetic material (the actual virus, as it were) in enclosed in a lipid (or fatty) membrane, like a shield.
That membrane shield is made of molecules that have two ends – a water-attracting hydrophilic end and a water-repelling hydrophobic end.
This can be the virus’s weak point.
The right cleaning chemicals can interact with both ends of these shielding molecules – and so come in between the chinks of the virus’s armor and break the membrane apart.
Alcohol. Bleach. Hydrogen Peroxide. Quaternary ammonium.
These well-known cleaning agents are the active ingredients in all the chemicals on the EPA’s list of registered cleaners for use in disinfecting Covid-19.
Each one works a little differently, but they all need dwell time.
Dwell time means that the surface you are trying to disinfect must stay wet with the disinfectant long enough for the disinfectant to break down the virus’s membrane and neutralize the virus.
Most cleaners have directions on the label that include dwell time requirements. Use as directed and it should be effective!
When we do a disinfecting treatment, we always use at least 3 separate mechanisms to attach the pathogen. This is what we call our Triple Treatment Protocol. Each mechanism is known to be effective in itself, so using all 3 makes us that much more certain that what we are doing actually works.
The mechanism of hand washing is a little different. It’s a detergent, or a molecule made of a salt with a hydrocarbon chain. It works by breaking the surface tension of the oils on your skin and forming monolayer membranes called mycelles around the pathogens, allowing them to easily be rinsed from the skin. The heat from the hot water injects some energy as well, but it’s really all about the scrubbing!
And that’s why you sing happy birthday to yourself twice – even if it’s not your birthday!
Handwashing also protects your environment – it keeps you from dragging germs from the dirty world into your clean home, car, or office. That, naturally, in turn protects you.
If your home, business, office, or vehicle does become contaminated, we can help!
Call us anytime at 801-888-6698 with questions.
You can also subscribe to our email blasts, and of course check out the other pages on our site for more useful info!
Thanks for looking!