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Complete hygiene
Dora Cheatham, International Business Development, Celeste Industries Corporation, discusses complete hygiene and the disinfection myth
Hygiene means many things to many people. For the airline industry, it means ensuring that you are providing the safest and cleanest possible environment for passengers and crew. As demand for airline travel increases, so does the need to maintain a clean environment and aircraft pose a particular challenge. The enclosed, confined, high-traffic areas of an aircraft are particularly prone to soils and malodours from multiple sources: scuff marks, ink, crayon, newsprint, spilled food and drinks, sweat, lavatory odours.
The use of non-targeted cleaners and high volatility air Test Group A
fresheners provide a temporary fix, but do not often provide longer term benefits or remove the source of malodours; they simply treat the symptoms. Even disinfection can be problematic, since many misconceptions exist over the differences between the many levels of disinfection, ranging from sanitisation (the reduction but not elimination of
Test Group B
The above shows test results on two different products. For each Test Group, a soiled tile (in the middle) is flanked by two clean tiles. Testing is performed to the modified ASTM standard. The tiles in Test Group A were cleaned using a cleaner containing anti re-deposition agents while the tiles in Test Group B were cleaned using a using a cleaner without these agents. The results: In Test Group A, the tile in the middle shows substantial soil removal with minimal soil re-deposition on the clean tiles on either side. In Test Group B, the tile in the middle shows less soil removal but more re-deposition on the clean tiles on either side, indicating a lower quality cleaner.
pathogens) to limited disinfection (efficacy against a specific group of microorganisms) to sterilisation (the elimination of all microorganisms). In addition, most disinfectants require a pre-cleaning step prior to actual disinfection, as well as specific dwell times, steps that
are often overlooked by the end user. The most effective disinfectants also rely on quaternary ammonium compounds for their cleaning which, while extremely effective, actually leave behind a microscopic layer that actually attracts dirt over the long term, leading to what is known as the “grunge” factor – the used, worn look of an item that has undergone multiple cleaning cycles.
So what is the answer? Complete hygiene goes beyond the basics of wiping and air freshening, to eliminating grunge buildup and sources of malodour by effective cleaning, strategic disinfection for the prevention of cross- contamination, and targeted odour counteraction. Complete hygiene means curing the illness, not just
treating the symptoms.
In the oft misconstrued belief that disinfection is the answer to all hygiene evils, the true value of cleaning and deodorisation is lost as an integral part of the hygiene process. The dictionary definition of “clean” is simply “to remove a foreign substance from any given surface or object”, but optimum performance really depends not only on the combination of soils being cleaned but also on the unique surfaces being cleaned. Ideal performance actually prevents re-deposition of soil or the layering of soil on surfaces that eventually leads to the “grunge” factor.
Like quat based disinfectants, many cleaners on the market today, though not damaging to surfaces per se, can leave behind a film that attracts fine layers of soils to the surface. Barely visible short term, over the longer term, this leads to a dulling effect on surfaces. Cleaners that contain anti re-deposition agents lay down a protective layer that prevents this soil buildup and grunge factor. Once clean, strategic disinfection of areas that are particularly prone to cross-contamination with a broad- spectrum disinfectant ensures correct disinfection and helps maintain hygiene while minimising the long term dulling effect. The final step in a complete hygiene program is deodorisation. Deodorisation is another one of those myths, with many believing that all deodorisers are created equal, and a frequent misconception in dealing with malodours, particularly in aircraft lavatories, is to “saturate” the malodour with a pleasant fragrance, usually in the form of an air freshener. This overpowers our perception of the malodour. However, once the saturating chemical dissipates, the malodour will return, requiring constant, often heavy, dosing of the saturating chemical. By removing the source of the malodour, whether physically or by interrupting the process whereby the odours are created, the problem can be solved for the longer term. Biochemical cleaners and deodorisers with enzyme action are the ideal solution as they work to remove organics and odour-causing compounds and offer long term odour control on both hard and soft surfaces. So what is complete hygiene? Complete hygiene is in fact a science that requires a clear understanding of your starting point, including soil types, sources of malodour and areas prone to cross-contamination and a comprehensive cleaning programme that incorporates cleaning, disinfection and deodorisation for an environment that not only looks, but also feels and smells truly clean.
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