The Importance of Pre-Cleaning Heavily Soiled Areas Prior to Disinfecting

Cleaning is cleaning. Disinfecting is disinfecting. The two tasks are often considered separate chores. But the two go together. Combined they are essential for a well-run facility - from factory floors, apartment hallways, school halls, hospital floors, counters, tables and more.

There are many disinfectant cleaners on the market, but pre-cleaning heavily soiled areas is a vital step to properly disinfecting surfaces. According to the CDC, "cleaning physically removes rather than kills microorganisms. Using a general-purpose cleaner to remove the majority of the dirt and debris along with lowering the number of germs allows disinfectant cleaners to do a more effective job of disinfecting."

Consider these six steps for safe and effective disinfectant use:

1. Check that your product is EPA-approved. Refer to the EPA's N-List for Disinfectants for use against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

2. Read the directions. Follow the product's directions. Check "use sites" and surface types. See where you can use the product. Read any precautionary statement.

3. Pre-clean the surface. Make sure to wash the surface. Surge Hard Surface Cleaner is a good choice.

4. Follow contact (dwell) time. You can find the contact (dwell) time in the directions. The surface should remain wet the whole time to ensure the product is effective.

5. Wear gloves and wash your hands. For disposable gloves, discard them after each cleaning. For reusable gloves, dedicate a pair to disinfecting for COVID-19. Wash your hands after removing the gloves.

6. Lock it up. Keep lids tightly closed and store out of reach of children.

Surge Industrial Cleaners are the ideal product for pre-cleaning. The water-based pH neutral solution cuts through the toughest dirt, grease and grime. It performs and acts like a solvent but is easier on end users and the environment. The chemistry is designed to lift the dirt, grease and grime from the surface to be easily wiped away.

Here’s a list of our products to consider for pre-cleaning:

Surge Industrial Hard Surface Concentrate & Ready To Use Cleaners

Surge Industrial Multi-Surface Ready-To-Use Cleaner