When most people think about
disinfecting, they don't consider how various surfaces respond to disinfection
differently. One of the primary surfaces that are challenging to disinfect is
soft, cushioned surfaces.
While it's easy to wash items like
clothing and towels to remove dirt, it’s not that simple to actually disinfect
them.
With that in mind, if you're curious to learn how to disinfect soft surfaces, take a look at the information below.
Soft
Surface Disinfecting: Does it Work?
The first thing you need to
understand is the distinction between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting.
It's easy to clean dirt from a surface. However, while germs are eliminated
from your surfaces through cleaning, it does not destroy them.
Usually, before sanitizing or
disinfecting, you can clean a surface to rid it of debris.
Secondly, sanitization decreases the
number of bacteria on the surface to levels deemed healthy by public health organizations.
Because it does more than cleaning, it’s the middle road since it doesn't hold
up as well as disinfectants do. The positive side is that products that are
sanitized tend to be safer than disinfectants.
Finally, on hard surfaces,
disinfecting destroys infectious fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Hard
surfaces is the key term. A soft or porous surface will never fully be
disinfected.
If you notice the disinfectant claim
on the back of the label, you’ll see that the directions say "for use on
hard, non-porous surfaces". You may be wondering if disinfectant can be
used on anything other than non-porous surfaces. Well, here are a few examples
of non-porous, hard surfaces to help you understand:
- Porcelain
- Ceramics
- Acrylics and resins
- Stainless steel
- Most plastics
- Rubbers
- Laminate
Below is
an example of soft, porous surfaces:
- Fabrics in clothing, furniture
upholstery, or bedding
- Carpets
- Cushioned Seating
As you can see, there's a big
contrast between the two surfaces. Soft surfaces are more complex because of
the materials that they're made from.
Why
Is Disinfecting Soft Surfaces Difficult?
Soft surfaces are difficult to clean
because of its design. For example, take your favorite sweater. While the soft,
porous fabric makes it comfortable to wear, it also makes it a nightmare to
disinfect because pathogens can hide the many small holes and gaps in the
material.
Compare this to a hard, non-porous
surface like a stainless steel tabletop. There is nowhere for pathogens to run
and hide on an object like that. However, that doesn't mean that your
disinfectant will only work on hard, flat surfaces.
According to the EPA, no disinfectant can claim that
soft surfaces are disinfected. If your disinfectant has this claim, you can
expect that it will kill at least 99.9 percent of vegetative bacteria, such as
Lepto and Bordetella.
While it may sound great to kill
99.9 percent of bacteria, this is not up to disinfectant standards.
Disinfectants are usually also able to kill viruses and fungi.
But since you can't technically
disinfect soft surfaces, you can still feel confident that they will eliminate
many of the pathogens that cause illnesses.
How
to Disinfect Soft Surfaces
Since you can't guarantee that your
disinfectant destroys pathogens on soft surfaces, it is possible that the
cleaning method alone can get rid of most pathogens. In order to keep them
germ-free, frequent fabric washing and cleaning of soft surfaces goes a long
way.
The good news is, soft, porous
surfaces don't easily spread pathogens. So, although they are harder to clean,
they are also less likely to transfer germs from one individual to the next.
Don't worry about illnesses when it
comes to disinfecting objects like toys and blankets. You can kill many of the
pathogens that make soft surfaces their home by using a product with a
soft-surface sanitizing label. Also, incorporate daily cleaning.
Doing so is the best way to ensure
that your soft items are germ-free.
Things
to Know: Disinfecting Soft Surface Tips
When it comes to disinfection,
everyone has their own comfort level. If you're worried about keeping your home
and other public areas clean, You could add more chemical solutions to your
fabrics by following proper cleaning instructions.
However, be sure to avoid saturating
soft fabrics. Always wipe it with a damp cloth and then dry. This is the best
method for disinfecting things like chairs and furniture.
Furthermore, antimicrobial
treatments have become more common since they protect products from
microorganisms and stop their development. But keep in mind that they don't
work against viruses.
This means that you won't have any
protection against the coronavirus and other harmful viruses. Therefore,
antimicrobial treatments should not be used as the sole source of fabric
cleaning. As a safety precaution, make sure that you practice personal
protection while cleaning and breathing in harsh chemicals that may cause
adverse health effects.
Thankfully, when it comes to soft
surfaces and disinfecting in general, there are a few steps you can take to
make sure your environment is fully disinfected. To understand how to disinfect
soft surfaces and proper disinfection methods, read more here.
Disinfecting
Soft Surfaces
Although disinfecting hard and soft
surfaces requires different methods, it's still possible to make sure that soft
objects and surfaces are sanitary. With the proper products and technique, you
can guarantee that your cushioned, pillowy items and surfaces are safer for
your health.
If this content helped you
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