The Effects Of Proper Cleaning On Healthcare & Business

Proper cleaning is often the first line of defense against the spread of infectious diseases; a place where this is most notable is in public restrooms. Many factors go into why a public bathroom is a high-risk environment; the bluntest reason comes from Dr. Michael Berry who referred to it as a “Biohazardous waste transfer station” (Berry). This is due to it being the place where biohazardous waste is transferred from one system to another, and it doesn’t always go smoothly due to drips, spills, accidents, overflows, plumbing failures, etc.

The next factor is due to a phenomenon called, “The Toilet Sneeze.” This occurs when a toilet is flushed and creates an aerosol of toxins which can contain microorganisms such as E.coli, Urine, and countless others. These then land on the floor or sink handles and creates very dangerous disease transfer points. Another reason public restrooms are high-risk environments is that it is a place many go when feeling sick such as when not feeling good when driving or at a restaurant.

All of this creates, “a rich blend of microorganism and rich food sources in a perfect growing environment that is contributed by hundreds if not thousands of people” (Morrison www.issa.com). Also, this problem does not stop in the restroom because these microorganisms can get on purses, book bags, or shoes and transfer to many other locations infecting countless people. Many environmental scientists would say that cleaning is the first line of defense against infectious disease and that it can reduce the chances of catching a common cold or influenza by as much as 80%.

This does not stop at just healthcare factors; there are also business factors. A recent study stated that 94% of people who visited a business and experienced a dirty restroom would not go back to it again which makes it very clear that cleaning can have an extreme influence on businesses.

Please watch this video from ISSA below:

References:
https://www.issa.com/video#21