It may go without saying, but cleanliness should be a priority for every type of business and facility. For certain industries, though, this commitment to cleanliness is even more important than usual. High-tech environments, such as cleanrooms, data centers, biomedical and pharmaceutical facilities, and so on, require unique, rigid, and highly-specialized
cleaning services to ensure that even the smallest and otherwise harmless contaminants do not interfere with production, safety, or worker health. Let’s go over some of these unique cleaning protocols for high-tech environments and why they’re important.
Unique Ways to Keep High-Tech Environments Clean
Maintaining the Proper Internal Environment
The most crucial factor in ensuring a clean and sanitary high-tech facility is establishing the proper interior climate from the get-go. Cleanrooms, for instance, must retain a specific level of air purity, pressure, humidity, and other conditions to minimize particulates and facilitate cleaning and disinfection efforts. After all, in a facility manufacturing microchips, even a single microscopic particle can interfere with the production process. Different industries will have specific guidelines for optimal climate conditions and are often required to comply with these regulations.
Multi-Bucket Mopping
Wet mopping is a standard cleaning method performed by maintenance and
janitorial services. When it comes to mopping the floors of a high-tech facility, however, additional precautions must be taken to eliminate the risk of contamination. More specifically, those tasked with cleaning such an environment must perform multi-bucket mopping, a method wherein two or three buckets are used (as opposed to one) to separate clean water from dirty water. This process is more time-consuming than standard single-bucket mopping, but it allows cleaning providers to only apply clean water (distilled or ionized) and disinfectant to surfaces while preventing any re-contamination.
The Use of Specialized Wipes
Specialized cleanroom wipes might also be required to wipe down surfaces in a high-tech environment. There are many different types of cleanroom wipes, differing in their properties, ISO class, procedure, and more. That said, each type of specialized wipe is designed to safely and effectively remove contaminants, particulates, and other residual material by offering maximum absorbency, minimal lint, and high tensile strength. These durable wipes may also offer properties that prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD), which is especially important when cleaning electrical components, products, and machinery.
Disinfection via Isopropyl Alcohol (70%)
Various high-tech facilities employ 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) as their disinfectant of choice for standard cleaning and disinfection purposes. When properly applied, 70% IPA is highly effective at killing viruses, bacteria, and fungi with relatively short contact times. That said, IPA is not classified as a high-level disinfectant due to its inability to eliminate hydrophilic viruses and bacterial spores. As such, different, more powerful disinfectants may be required for high-tech medical facilities. But when it comes to regular cleanroom wipedowns, 70% IPA is a cost-effective and efficient option for disinfection.
Some high-tech facilities might partially rely on antimicrobial barrier technology and electrostatic disinfectant spray applications to maintain a clean, sterile environment. Barrier technology provides surfaces with a long-lasting, up to three months, shield against a number of microorganisms, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi via compressed air and electric charges to maximize adherence. Of course, considering the electric nature of this method, barrier technology might be prohibited for certain high-tech facilities with particular electronic components. In many cases, though, these methods are safe around electronics when properly performed.
High Cleaning Standards for High-Tech Environments
There’s little room for error in the high-tech industry. The efficacy of electronics, health and safety of workers and customers, and proper
facility maintenance all rely on careful, thorough cleaning protocols. Fortunately, the cleaning and disinfection experts at
The Budd Group are well-versed in the best practices and regulations regarding these protocols, and we offer customized facility solutions for each client we serve.
To learn more about our services and values, give us a call today at 800-221-8158!
