Many facilities are struggling to keep up with the new threats to public health and the surge in demand for regular disinfection.
While companies are told they need to improve their practices, they have a limited amount of time in which to accomplish these goals. Furthermore, raising a budget or hiring more workers isn’t always an option. However, now that cutting-edge electrostatic technologies have been introduced, facilities have more options to improve their overall efficiency levels, which can lead to more positive outcomes.
Becoming More Efficient
When surfaces are disinfected using standard methods, many surfaces may not be disinfected at all. If companies use electrostatics instead of — or alongside — mops, wipes, and trigger sprayers, just one person can disinfect an area that would have usually required five people to clean. Because electrostatics are so efficient, it allows facilities to disinfect the area more frequently, which can keep viral pathogens from spreading.
An electrostatic sprayer is able to cover three times as much area s a standard spray bottle would. This is because it uses disinfectant droplets that are positively charged. The droplets are attracted to target surfaces magnetically, causing the droplets to wrap around the surface. This can speed up the process of disinfection while getting rid of the bacterial, germs, and fungus lurking on surfaces.
The Options Available
The technology used for electrostatic sprayers has improved significantly in recent years. This means that disinfecting in this area is easier than ever. There are many types of equipment used, such as self-contained backpacks to handheld spraying devices to a variety of rolling cart systems. You can find electrostatic sprayers that are corded and devices that operate on batteries. No matter how these devices are powered, the goal is to provide a positive charge to the liquid being used to disinfect. There are clear advantages to opting for a sprayer that runs on batteries. With a device like this, it’s far less likely that you’ll trip over a cord. Furthermore, you’ll be able to move around freely without being attached to an office. At one point in time, people were unsure that batteries were powerful enough to provide a regular application of an electrostatic charge, especially when compared to sprayers that used a cord to connect to a source of power. Now, however, sprayer technology has improved significantly. There are high-powered portable sprayers that run on batteries, and these devices are powerful enough to provide an even coating of disinfectant to all surfaces in an area.
When you’re exploring your choices for electrostatic equipment, you should confirm that the devices you’re looking at have received UL or ETL certification from NRTL (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories). This is the best way to confirm that the equipment meets OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) safety requirements. You should also confirm that the equipment you’re purchasing includes easy-to-follow instructions. That way, it will be easy for workers to use the disinfectant system properly.
The Benefits of Electrostatic Cleaning Technology
Even though electrostatic technology has been increasing in popularity, people have only recently become aware that it can lead to better results when it comes to disinfection. As a matter of fact, a number of facilities have seen significant reductions in general expenses and labour costs because this technology can provide more surface coverage and faster disinfection. In just minutes, workers are able to pass electrostatic equipment over surfaces and disinfect them completely.
Electrostatic technology can also be a safer choice. When you’re able to apply a uniform coating of disinfectant chemicals, and when you have more control over how those chemicals are sprayed, it’s less likely that you’ll use more chemicals than you need to. In fact, you could reduce chemical usage by up to 60% for each square foot.
Many types of equipment, including computers and desktops, can be disinfected safely using electrostatic sprayers as long as noncorrosive chemicals are used. In addition, these sprayers can help prevent pest problems, get rid of mold, and even tackle odors. They’re an efficient and cost-effective cleaning option.
One of the biggest advantages this cleaning technology offers is that it can help keep infectious viruses from spreading. Since this is a contact-free disinfectant method, you won’t have to worry about cross-contamination. If you clean with wipes or microfiber towels, microbes could be transferred from one microbe to the next.
Using Electrostatic Disinfectant Across Many Industries
There are facilities that exclusively clean with electrostatic sprayers, while other facilities use these sprayers alongside manual disinfectant methods. There are a variety of strategies that are currently being tested in facilities like hospitals, long-term care facilities, restaurants, kitchens, offices, schools, gyms, and other buildings. It’s also becoming more common to see electrostatic technology being used to disinfect types of public transit, including rental vehicles and airlines. This technology is also being used in environments that see heavy traffic, such as amusement parks, cruise ships, and stadiums. Since technology is continually improving, it will eventually become more affordable, which means it can be used in even more industries.
In addition, electrostatic technology is currently being developed for new applications, such as biological contamination. In the United States, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recently evaluated electrostatic sprayers to see if they were suitable to use for personnel decontamination when responding to incidents. The EPA found that the technology could reduce future risks of exposure and minimize cross-contamination between personnel. The report also showed that using electrostatic sprayers could reduce chemical waste, which could dramatically decrease costs.
These findings are useful in the Canadian market.
In the Future
According to trends, it’s likely that electrostatic technology will be adopted on a much wider scale. Still, it won’t be successful in the long run unless sprayers meet compliance standards across various industries. If that is achieved, facilities can take full advantage of this technology and the efficient and effective disinfectant that it can provide.