Page 20 - May Slippery Rock Gazette

20|May 2020
Stone Restoration and
Maintenance Corner
Sanitizing & Disinfecting Surfaces
Slippery rock Gazette
per quart of water or 1/3 cup of bleach per gallon of water. Of course, this may harm surround- ing surfaces, so be very careful if you go this route. I suggest a product that is approved for stone and masonry surfaces that does not negatively affect the sur- rounding surface areas.
You can use simple pump-up sprayers but some are using ULV sprayers (foggers) and electro- static sprayers for commercial applications as they are much more conducive to larger areas. These last two types of equipment are basically made to reduce the droplet size and or impart an elec- trostatic charge on the droplet so that they will cover an area more efficiently and lengthen the con- tact time (thereby improving effi- cacy) with the disinfectant.
As I type, our office in Cohasset, MA, is empty and the employees are now under a stay-at-home order by Governor Charlie Baker. My state of Tennessee has en- acted the same basic order. A flattening of the curve is the goal, as I understand it. This is to help impede the spread of the virus and keep the healthcare industry from being overwhelmed.
We are working and processing orders remotely from home and have a person who lives nearby the office who will come in for a few hours each day to box and ready orders for shipping. We are very fortunate in this regard.
Please turn to page 21
How do you properly clean food preparation and other contact surfaces? Do you need specific sanitizers and disinfectants? Just so you know, I am writing this article in mid-March, at the height of the outbreak, and do not know what the situation will be like by the time May arrives.
First, let’s discuss what some of the associated terms actually imply, according to the cdc.gov/ coronavirus/2019 website. Based on what is currently known about the COVID-19 and other similar
Bob Murrell
M3 Technologies
Photos by Bob Murrell
contaminated surfaces has been completely documented. However, it is known that these vi- ruses can remain viable for hours to days on surfaces, depending on the degree of soiling and mois- ture. Knowing human behavioral patterns, we can assume that peo- ple who work around and come in contact with these surfaces will, invariably touch their eyes, mouth, or nose, at some point.
the vast majority of them, low- ers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection. So, you see that simply keeping surfaces clean (meaning free from soiling and moisture), we can reduce the chances of contracting the novel COVID-19 as well as other respi- ratory illnesses in households and community settings.
Disinfecting refers to the use of chemicals to kill germs on sur- faces. This process does not nec- essarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but instead kills germs on surfaces after they have been properly cleaned. Of course this step would also lower the risk of spreading infection.
For general cleaning and disin- fecting of stone, terrazzo, or tile surfaces, wear disposable gloves and other PPE, based on your par- ticular application. Gloves should be discarded in an appropriate method (labeled plastic bags) after each cleaning. I recom- mend using either the Majestic No-Rinse Neutral Cleaner or the Majestic Stone Plus which is also a neutral cleaner. You can use diluted, per the instructions, or increase the concentration based on the degree of soiling. Either product will help clean most any surface that is safe for water. Remember that just keeping
surfaces clean will go a long way to keeping the microbe count low. Actual disinfecting requires the appropriate chemical agent to kill the microbes, in this case COVID- 19. At M3 Technologies Inc. we have access to a stone safe prod- uct made by one of our production facilities. It is called Surface TB Hard Surface Disinfectant, con- tains ammonium chloride, and is EPA registered. This product has demonstrated effectiveness against viruses similar to corona- virus (COVID-19) on hard sur- faces, when used in accordance with the directions and CDC guidelines. It comes in a ready- to-use formula and is sprayed on the cleaned surface and allowed to dwell for several minutes. After the required dwell time, wipe the surface back down with a clean cloth and either of the Majestic
products above.
You can use plain household
bleach at 4 teaspoons of bleach
An electrostatic sprayer reduces the droplet size and imparts an elec- trostatic charge on the solution droplets so they will cover an area more efficiently, and lengthen the contact time with the disinfectant.
This is an image I'm sure we’re all tired of seeing: the spiky, sinister face
of the Coronavirus. This article answers some pressing question on how stone and restoration pros can fight back.
Majestic No-Rinse Neutral Cleaner is an excellent general cleaner for all stone surfaces prior to disinfecting, and to routinely keep clean. Don't forget the gloves whether you are disinfecting your own countertops or those of a client.
coronaviruses that cause SARS and MERS, they are typically spread from person-to-person, most frequently among close con- tacts (within about 6 feet). This type of transmission would nor- mally occur via respiratory drop- lets (atomized from coughing or sneezing).
As of mid-March, I don’t be- lieve that transmission from
Of course this could allow entry into the body at these vulnerable locations. So cleaning followed by disinfecting is a best practice measure for the prevention and spread of COVID-19 and other viral and bacterial infections.
Cleaning refers to the removal of dirt, impurities, and germs from surfaces. Cleaning alone does not kill germs but by removing
“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the
vessel in which it is stored than to anything
on which it is poured.” –Mark Twain