The past year (2020) has been largely defined by the emergence and spread of COVID-19. For American businesses, what seemed like a distant and unfamiliar problem at the beginning of the year quickly made its way to our shores, forcing individuals and businesses to re-think and increase their health and safety measures. Despite the rapid changes we’ve all had to make over these past several months, though, there is still plenty of confusion regarding which methods best promote public health and why -- we all know that cleaning and disinfection are important, but it’s easy to conflate these practices. In reality, cleaning and disinfection are two distinct methods. Certain disinfection companies might even throw around the phrase “deep disinfection” and “deep cleaning.”

So, what is deep disinfection, exactly? And how is it different than standard cleaning methods? Let’s break it down.

What to Know About Deep Disinfection

What Is “Deep” Disinfection?

Disinfection refers to products and processes that kill specific contaminants (i.e. viruses, bacteria, fungi) when coming into contact with them. These disinfecting methods include but are not limited to:

• Spraying surfaces with EPA-registered disinfectants and wiping them down
• Antimicrobial barrier technology
• Misting and electrostatic disinfection
• UV-C light surface disinfection
• Deep disinfection

In some cases, the “deep” part of “deep disinfection” is more of a marketing tool than anything. Honest and reliable professional disinfecting services will tell you that adding “deep” to the phrase can sell the service as more effective and enduring, which may or may not be accurate depending on who you hire. That said, using the phrase “deep disinfection” is also a way of signifying that the service will cover the entirety of a facility, leaving no stone unturned. Additionally, deep disinfection might refer to products and methods that potentially present a short-term health risk to those nearby (especially if they’re not wearing personal protective equipment). Therefore, you might plan on investing in deep disinfection when your facilities are temporarily shut down and/or empty.

Disinfection vs. Deep Cleaning

Cleaning, on the other hand, refers to processes and products that effectively remove contaminants (including germs) from surfaces but don’t necessarily destroy them. In other words, cleaning a table might rid it of most or all of the germs present on its surface, but those germs might remain on the cloth or sponge you’re using or get knocked onto a different surface. As such, properly cleaning surfaces decreases the risk of spreading infectious diseases inside a facility, but not to the same degree as disinfection.

As for deep cleaning, the same caveats apply as for deep disinfection -- the term “deep” doesn’t inherently let you know about the effectiveness of said cleaning services. For the most part, though, deep cleaning refers to a more comprehensive, intense, and detailed approach to cleaning that separates it from regular daily or weekly cleaning duties. For example, deep cleaning might include tasks like steaming carpets, washing vent covers, cleaning upholstery, power washing exteriors, sandblasting industrial surfaces, and so on. Sweeping, scrubbing, mopping, etc. might be a part of the deep cleaning process, but on their own, these duties tend to fall under the category of standard cleaning.

The Importance of Performing Both Disinfection and Cleaning

In order to maintain the ongoing health and safety of your facility (especially amidst this pandemic), it’s important to invest in both high-level disinfection and cleaning services, as these two distinct but related tasks benefit one another. More specifically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state: “By disinfecting or killing germs on a surface after cleaning the surface, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.” In other words, the most effective way to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19, influenza, and other infectious diseases is to thoroughly clean your facility and then thoroughly disinfect it. You can think of disinfecting cleaning services as delivering a one-two punch that ensures contaminants stay away from your facility and your people.

Here at The Budd Group, our diverse team of specialists offers a wide range of both cleaning and disinfection services to keep your facility safe and sanitary. To learn more about our services and values, give us a call today at 800-221-8158!