Commercial Cleaning

Is Electrostatic Spraying Right for Your Office?

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Electrostatic spraying is a powerful disinfecting technique that is often used to promote health and safety in public spaces. It has long been used in settings like airports and medical facilities as part of a highly effective and efficient disinfecting strategy. But how do you know if electrostatic spraying is right for your office? Or if typical cleaning and disinfecting services and strategies are enough? Here are a few things to consider when it comes to this high-level disinfecting method:

How electrostatic spraying works

Electrostatic spraying works through the application of a positive electric charge to a liquid disinfectant. This combination creates a spray that reaches its target almost immediately and then sticks to it. Compared to traditional cleaning and disinfecting sprays, this method is much more effective. Instead of spraying specific areas directly, electrostatic spraying allows the service provider to achieve 360-degree coverage of the area they are treating. This means that it’s easier to hit high-touch surfaces and all of the corners and crevices that would otherwise be difficult to reach and might get missed.

Why your facility might need it

If your facility has many high-touch surface areas or sees a lot of traffic each day, you should consider electrostatic spraying your office. Electrostatic spraying is ideal for facilities like office spaces, schools, and medical facilities because these are high-traffic settings with many different high-touch surface areas. We can use this incredible and innovative disinfecting method to reduce the transmission of COVID in your facility. Along with things like wearing masks, frequent hand washing, and maintaining the appropriate distance, we can do more.

There are several important ways that we can ensure that we’re meeting safety precautions, protecting each other, and controlling the spread of COVID. With employees back in their workspaces and students back at their desks, social distancing needs to be met with additional efforts. Anyone who can’t work from home or engage in remote learning shouldn’t have to be scared or uncomfortable in shared spaces each day. If your facility is open, you have individuals coming in and out, and you have high-touch surfaces that need extra attention, you need electrostatic spraying.

Where else electrostatic spraying is used

Even before the COVID outbreak began, there were several different types of businesses and locations that made use of electrostatic spraying. One that we mentioned already: airlines. Imagine the number of individuals that walk through just one airport in a day (pre-coronavirus). Imagine the number of high-touch surfaces that they have to disinfect, from seats, belts, bathrooms, and armrests to storage bins, tray tables, and waiting areas. In any airport, there are plenty of areas that require a deep level of cleaning and disinfecting. But it’s not just airlines that use this high-level disinfecting method.

Electrostatic spraying has also long been used in medical facilities like hospitals and clinics, sports and athletic facilities, and other high-traffic areas. If it’s the method of choice in places where traffic is high and the stakes are higher, it’s clear that it should be the method of choice elsewhere, too. Employing effective cleaning and disinfecting services may be the sole choice that keeps your facility from closing during COVID-19 like so many others have already. Many office buildings and restaurants have had to close for a week or two at a time to clean and disinfect after someone tested positive. It’s better to be proactive, slow the spread, and avoid the shutdown rather than addressing it after the fact.

Peace of mind

When people hear the term “electrostatic spraying,” they tend to have several questions. The first one is usually what is it? Next: is it safe? Is there any way that it could be toxic or dangerous? Now that you know how electrostatic spraying works and where it’s used, let’s talk about toxicity. Most people are surprised to learn that electrostatic spraying actually uses fewer chemicals than more standard disinfection techniques. This is simply because electrostatic spraying is more efficient.

Its higher transfer efficiency and reach mean that it works better and can do the job using fewer chemicals. This reduces the chemical exposure for your employees, patients, or students, and also for the environment. COVID may have brought electrostatic spraying out into the limelight this year, but it’s not a new technique. The technology used in electrostatic spraying was invented nearly 100 years ago. It has been used in the background in the auto industry, airlines, hospitals, arenas, and other settings for many years. It is just recently becoming more popular in other settings, too.

This extra step could help protect you until we have a vaccine

With the promising news that the COVID vaccine may be distributed early in 2021, it can be tempting to ease back or loosen up. But now is the time to be more vigilant than ever before. With COVID cases still going up in numbers in many states across the country, now is not the time to slow down. The best way to keep our businesses open and ourselves and each other safe and healthy is to follow all of the guidelines that are being set out for us.

Wear your masks, wash your hands, keep your distance, and stay home if you’re not feeling well. But make sure that you’re not stopping there. In both your home and your business, routine cleaning and disinfecting can help reduce the risk of exposure. Don’t leave the health and safety of your business, employees, clients, students, or patients up to chance.

Conclusion

While we are inching closer, we aren’t back to normal just yet, and we should all be playing our part in slowing the spread of COVID-19. Our high-level electrostatic spraying services will help protect both your business and the people who interact with it. Your employees, clients and customers, and all of their families deserve the peace of mind that comes with high-level cleaning and disinfecting services.

With our high-quality services, proven systems, and dedicated teams, we can help you make the most of your facility and stay safe and healthy until things return to normal. Contact us today for a free quote for electrostatic spraying in your office.

Deep Cleaning: What You Need to Know

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Due to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases nationwide, Corvus Janitorial is noticing more and more businesses implementing deep cleaning into their office routines. In fact, the CDC announced deep cleaning as an essential step in the effort to maintain safety in public spaces like your workplace, school, home, and business.

So what is it that makes deep cleaning different from ordinary, everyday cleaning? Read on to learn more about the process – and importance – of deep cleaning.

What is Deep Cleaning?

A deep clean is an organized and detailed clean of an area with the intent to reduce germs and control the spread of infection. It goes above and beyond regular cleaning to ensure those hard-to-reach corners and crevices that are oftentimes neglected in standard cleaning routines are being reached.

When a person is cleaning, whatever kind of space it may be, he or she is mostly focused on improving the overall appearance of that area. Cleaning does work to remove dirt and impurities – like germs and viruses- from a surface, but it does not actually kill them away. Impurities can only be killed by cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting the area.

While a standard clean is generally performed daily or throughout the week, a deep clean occurs far less regularly (think- spring cleaning). However strenuous of a task it may be, ensuring that your home and other public spaces have been disinfected is absolutely essential to controlling the spread of COVID-19. If the proper products are used, disinfecting can actually kill the virus that causes COVID-19.

Standard Cleaning vs. Deep Cleaning

Let’s compare cleaning a kitchen to deep cleaning a kitchen as an example. Cleaning the kitchen after dinner may look like something along the lines of clearing the plates, loading the dishwasher, wiping down the countertops, and sweeping underneath the table.

Deep cleaning the kitchen is a much more comprehensive process. In addition to the chores mentioned above, it would involve tasks such as clearing out the pantry and refrigerator, tossing away any expired food, and then wiping down the shelves with a disinfectant spray. One might use a clean toothbrush or similar tool to reach the corners and edges of the shelves as well.

Deep Cleaning Your Business

This time last year if you were to ask anyone his or her thoughts on disinfecting a doorknob each time someone opens and closes the door…most likely everyone would agree that it is a crazy and completely unnecessary idea. Now, the health and safety of your employees, as well as the vitality of your business, could depend on this very action alone.

Businesses and other workspaces contain several high-touch surfaces (desks, light switches, keyboards, phones, toilets, faucets, etc.) that, if neglected, can drastically increase one’s chances of contracting COVID-19. Since there are so many high touch surfaces to consider, businesses will generally hire professional cleaners to perform a deep clean.

Oftentimes professional cleaning companies will use advanced technologies like electrostatic sprayers to properly clean, sanitize, and disinfect. Whether or not your facility uses a commercial cleaning service, it is worthwhile to consider bringing in a professional for a disinfecting service. It will save a great deal of time, and you can rest assured knowing that one of the most powerful and effective disinfecting methods was applied to your workspace.

Tips and Tricks For Deep Cleaning Your Home

While businesses typically hire a janitorial company for their cleaning needs, deep cleaning your home can be done without help from professional cleaners. The thought of disinfecting your entire household is probably overwhelming, so it helps to break the project down into small, more manageable tasks.

Just like deep cleaning any public space, first and foremost you must disinfect the high-touch surfaces in your home. It is helpful to always have a supply of disinfectant products readily available. Clorox, Lysol, and Purell are common brands included on the EPA’s list of approved disinfectants. Wearing disposable gloves while deep cleaning these surfaces is a great preventative measure you can take. If a member of your household does contract COVID-19, it is best for him or her to stay in a separate bedroom and bathroom if at all possible.

Deep cleaning aside, wearing a mask outside your home and limiting the number of visitors who come into your home are the most effective ways to protect yourself and your family from contracting the coronavirus.

Conclusion

Deep cleaning our workspaces and households is a crucial step we must all take to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Simply cleaning up after ourselves will not be enough, so it is best to start adopting these practices now and to maintain them for as long as the coronavirus continues to affect our lives. For more information and resources relating to COVID-19, visit our coronavirus response page here.

Corvus Janitorial Systems

If you are looking for a commercial cleaning company that uses only the highest-quality products and proven techniques, Corvus Janitorial is it. For all of your cleaning, purifying, and disinfecting needs, trust Corvus Janitorial. Contact us today to learn more about how Corvus can help your facility.

Industrial Cleaning: Your Facility is Unique, Your Clean Should Be Too

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As we all know, cleaning and disinfecting, in any setting or capacity, are more important this year than ever before. Now and in the future, there will be a greater need for thorough cleaning and disinfecting services in offices, schools, medical centers, and industrial buildings alike. Whether you operate a transportation service, auto dealership, manufacturing plant, or another industrial facility, it’s important to create a safe and compliant workspace. Luckily, you can count on Corvus to create this type of workspace for you.

Typically, industrial facilities have a host of requirements that differ greatly from general office-based cleaning services. We know and understand these unique requirements and needs very well. We will give your facility the high-level attention it deserves. Here are a few things to expect from your Corvus Janitorial industrial cleaning:

Customized cleaning services

The tools and skills we bring to an industrial cleaning won’t be the same ones we arrive at a corner office with. We don’t provide cookie-cutter lists or one-size-fits-all solutions. We offer top-level industrial cleaning based on your specific requirements and needs. We will comply with your business’s guidelines, as well as the guidelines from the CDC and EPA that were carefully created to keep all of our workspaces safe. Each of our crews are highly trained and knowledgeable in terms of compliance, proper methods, safety procedures, and effective services.

Zero interruptions

Many businesses have been interrupted due to a lack of compliance with safety protocols. If one person gets sick, you may have to shut down your entire operation for a time. Corvus can save you both time and money by ensuring that we keep your operation open and running smoothly. We’ll help you meet the standards you’ve set, avoid interruptions, and keep your employees and their families safe.

Downtime in any manufacturing facility can be costly. We’ll help you ensure that everything is moving along the way it should be so that you can focus on doing what you do best: running your business. To accomplish these goals, we can offer a variety of needs-based services, including increased frequencies, cleanings outside of traditional weekday work hours or on the weekends, and high-level cleaning and disinfecting tools and techniques.

Total transparency

We won’t leave you guessing about which services you need and which we’ll provide. Our account executives will meet with your or your facility’s manager to go through any special requirements, guidelines, budget caps, or other nuances that make your industrial cleaning unique. We’ll do everything we can to ensure that we are meeting your facility’s needs. This includes providing the appropriate chemicals and equipment, as well as SDS sheets you need to stay compliant with any audits or safety guidelines. Our customized proposal will include all of the specifications written up solely for your facility. We will meet with you and work with your team every step of the way.

Additional services

Your previous industrial cleaning services may have been limited to the bare minimum to get by. Most businesses chose this path without even realizing it. We offer a wide array of additional services that will not only keep your industrial business clean and disinfected, but will also keep your facility looking exactly the way you want it to. Your facility serves as a place of business and daily operation, but it may also serve as a tool to demonstrate your services and products to your customers. Even if this aspect of your business is currently suspended, things will go back to normal eventually, and it is best to be prepared now rather than waiting for that day to come.

Some of our most popular additional services include:

• Hard floor care
• Carpet cleaning
• Electrostatic spraying
• Green cleaning
• Post-construction clean-ups
• Window cleaning
• Day porters
• Emergency clean-ups

Corvus Janitorial Systems

We’ll work with you to determine the best schedule, plan, and services for your facility. We’ve been an industry leader for the better part of two decades, and we’ve used our experience to create systems that ensure we are providing top-level industrial cleaning services. We’ve worked with and met the unique needs of industrial operations for years. We look forward to learning about yours and becoming a part of your team. Contact us today for more information and to receive a free quote.

Electrostatic Spraying: A Safe & Easy Step for Your Cleaning Routine

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Electrostatic spraying is a powerful disinfection technique that promotes health and safety in public spaces.

How Does Electrostatic Spraying Work?

Electrostatic spraying has gained a lot of attention as businesses, workplaces, and schools reopen. These large, indoor spaces have several high-touch surface areas that, if improperly cleaned, can induce the transmission of COVID-19. A detailed explanation can be found here, but essentially electrostatic spraying works by applying a positive electric charge to a liquid spray. The liquid spray then passes through a nozzle and sticks to a surface containing a negative electric charge. Most surfaces are negatively charged, so the positively charged particles produced in the electrostatic sprayer will stick to these surfaces. While standard cleaning sprays disinfect the areas that the spray is directly applied to, electrostatic spraying provides complete, 360-degree coverage of the area. It ensures that the disinfectant reaches those hard-to-reach corners and crevices that are often neglected in standard cleaning routines.

Your Facility Needs Electrostatic Spraying

Just as individuals must continue to follow recommended safety actions like wearing a face mask, washing hands frequently, and maintaining a social distance of at least six feet, organizations must take the necessary safety precautions to protect individuals and control the spread of COVID-19. This fall we are seeing more and more businesses reopening their doors to customers, employees returning to workspaces, and students going back to school. Social distance restrictions are being lifted at a state and local level alike, but many people are still nervous about contracting COVID-19 in public spaces. Shopping in stores or eating at restaurants can be avoided, but someone who is an employee or a student might not have the option to work from home or learn remotely. It is crucial that all facilities, whether they are deemed essential or non-essential, keep this in mind as they are operating through these times.

Follow CDC Guidance

We know that when the coronavirus lives on an object or surface, it can take anywhere between a few hours to several days for the virus to die naturally. Traditional cleaning methods, like using soap and water, can decrease how much of a virus is on a surface, but in order to completely kill a germ on a surface, a disinfectant must be applied. Fortunately, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be killed with proper cleaning and disinfection. The cleaning and disinfecting guidelines they published emphasize that both a cleaner and disinfectant must be used to best reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus.

Don’t Just Take Our Word For It…

An electrostatic sprayer is beneficial no matter what the size or scope of your facility might be. Take airlines, for example. This industry was immediately affected by the stay-at-home orders and travel restrictions implemented in response to COVID-19. There are many high-touch surface areas on an aircraft (overhead bins, seats, armrests, tray tables, etc.) that require deep cleaning and disinfection. Major airlines, such as Delta and American Airlines, are using electrostatic sprayers to ensure that the aircraft is sanitized and their passengers’ are safe.

Is Electrostatic Spray Toxic or Dangerous?

There is no need to worry about electrostatic spraying being toxic or dangerous. Electrostatic sprayers require fewer chemicals than standard disinfection techniques. This is due to their vastly higher transfer efficiency – it requires fewer chemicals to properly disinfect, leading to less chemical exposure for both humans as well as the environment. While electrostatic spray technology has only recently been used in the cleaning industry, it is not new by any means. The technology was invented in the 1930s to improve spray disposition and was made popular by the auto industry in the 1940s. Electrostatic spray is completely safe for the person applying it as well as the occupants within the area it is being applied to.

Take the Extra Step

As state and local officials continue to ease social distancing restriction, day-to-day life is becoming seemingly more normal. It is important to understand that the coronavirus is still very much out there, and we must do everything in our power to stop the spread. Corvus Janitorial is offering electrostatic spray services for high-level disinfection that will protect your business and give you peace of mind as you reopen.

Corvus Janitorial Systems

If you are looking for a commercial cleaning company that uses only the highest-quality products and proven techniques, Corvus Janitorial is it. For all of your cleaning, purifying, and disinfecting needs, trust Corvus Janitorial. Contact us today to learn more about how Corvus can help your facility.

Cleaning Matters: The Importance of Floor Care | Pro-Tips from Corvus Franchisees and Personnel

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The Importance of Floor Care

…$.30 per square foot or $4.00 per square foot to replace

Most facility or office managers know the importance of floor cleaning, insisting their workspaces receive regular sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming as a part of their regular janitorial services. However, many organizations overlook the importance of more technical floor care processes. This can be a costly oversight in terms of both appearance and cost. Whether an office possesses a soft, carpeted floor or a harder floor material like vinyl or terrazzo, methods for deeper cleaning and protection of those surfaces both exist and should be utilized at least twice per year.

Carpet Cleaning – Hot Water Extraction

In the case of carpets, steaming the material, also referred to as hot water extraction, is an essential part of the process. Hot water extraction is a method by which hot water and a properly diluted carpet cleaning solution are injected into the fibers of the carpet using relatively high-pressure. This form of cleaning yields several desirable results.

First, this method dislodges debris, dirt, and dander from carpeted materials. The same debris which causes foul odors can contribute to sinus or allergy issues by contaminating the air, or simply render the carpet’s aesthetic unpleasant to the eye.

Hot water extraction also allows for agitation of the chemical application that further cleans the carpeted material, all before being vacuumed up by a high-power suction hose attached to the equipment. While some organizations use truck-mounted carpet cleaning techniques, hot water extraction works at a lower pressure level which, in turn, keeps the liquid and chemical from overly pressurizing the important adhesive material used to attach carpet to the subfloor.

Hard Floor Cleaning – Strip and Refinish

When it comes to cleaning hard floors, more rigorous applications for cleaning and protecting floors also exist. Notably, a service called “stripping and refinishing”, or “stripping and waxing”, stands out as the gold standard for floor protection and maintenance of aesthetics.

Typically, when a floor is installed, a layer of floor finish, or sealant, coats the top surface of the raw floor. This provides protection from wear and tear by creating an in-between layer of sealant. As the sealant is worn down by typical traffic and other use, the floor becomes increasingly prone to scrapes, scuffs, or cuts into the actual flooring. Unfortunately, this could lead to a costly replacement process.

Moreover, debris, dust, and dirt usually begin to seep into eroding sealant. As this happens, the “deep, wet” desirable look turns dull, giving the floor the appearance of being unclean and unattractive. The remedy for these phenomena is to remove the sealant with a cleaning chemical called a “stripper”. Essentially, this is the commercial cleaning version of fingernail polish. Once the sealant is removed and the floor material is exposed, janitorial service providers can begin coating the floor with a floor finish or “wax”.

Stripping and waxing not only protects the floor as it dries “hard”; the acrylic in the compound also provides the floor with the wet look that gives it that much-desired sparkle and shine. Of course, the reapplied finish also builds back up a protective layer, which mitigates the potential for damage. The strip and refinish process will not only save the unfortunate cost of ultimately having to completely replace the flooring, it will also restore it to its former, shiny glory.

Considering the cleaning and sanitary benefits of hot water extraction carpet cleaning or stripping and refinishing, pursuing a floor program seems like an easy decision. However, further comparing the relative prices of floor replacement – $3 – $6 per square foot – against service cost – $0.10 – $0.35 per square foot, the choice becomes a no brainer.

Corvus Janitorial Systems

With over two decades of experience, Corvus Janitorial Systems has perfected floor care. We use a wide range of techniques and tools to maintain facilities of all types. Reach out to us today for a free quote for your floor care, cleaning, disinfecting, and/or sanitizing needs.

Understanding Dwell Time and Why It’s Important

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The words “dwell time” have been thrown around quite a bit more this year than in any other year in the past. Dwell time, or contact time, is the appropriate amount of time that a disinfectant has to remain visibly moist on the surface being cleaned to effectively kill the germs, viruses, or bacteria you’re combating. One common disinfecting mistake is spraying the disinfectant and wiping it away without giving it any time to work its magic.

Without adhering to the right dwell time, the disinfectant won’t have enough time to do its job, which is to disinfect and kill the targeted pathogen. While the disinfectant may kill some of the bacteria or germs on the surface, it won’t be nearly as effective as it would be if you had followed the suggested dwell time. In many cases, this bad habit leaves behind surfaces that aren’t disinfected at all. So, let’s clear up some of the mystery behind dwell times:

What is the right dwell time?

The right dwell time will vary depending both on the disinfectant you’re using and the goal you’re trying to achieve. For example, a regular household disinfectant that’s meant to kill germs that cause the common cold may have a much different dwell time than a stronger disinfectant that’s approved for use against the coronavirus. And the dwell time for different disinfectants can range drastically, lasting anywhere from a mere 30 seconds to 15 minutes.

But there’s good news: you don’t have to do the math or work too hard to find the answer. The dwell time of your disinfectant should be listed right on the label! If it’s not, you can find the dwell time by searching for your disinfectant on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) website. Disinfectants approved for fighting fast-spreading viruses like COVID will likely have shorter dwell times. This may seem counterintuitive, but trust the process; a single-minute dwell time simply means less time waiting around and more time protecting your loved ones, employees, and customers.

Which disinfectants should I be using?

If you already have disinfectants at home, check the label or the EPA’s website to see if they are approved for use against COVID-19. Otherwise, finding the right disinfectants has been a bit challenging for many over the last few months. Just like finding toilet paper was in April. Clorox and Lysol are two of the most common household disinfectants and they are generally effective against COVID (always double-check the specific product before use), but if they have a longer dwell time, they may not be your best option.

One favorite this year has been Diversey’s Oxivir TB Wipes. These have a dwell time of one minute and are approved for use against COVID pathogens. While the shorter contact time makes effective disinfecting easier, there’s one other thing to keep in mind: make sure the surface doesn’t dry before the dwell time is up. If it dries, you’ll have to reapply. Diversey wipes (when used appropriately) tend to keep the surface wet for the required dwell time, so this shouldn’t be a problem here if you can get your hands on some.

What is the shelf-life of diluted disinfectants?

While many effective disinfectants come ready to use, others may need to be diluted with water. These are typically used in the old-school-style of disinfecting that involves filling a bucket with the diluted disinfectant and dipping towels or rags in it. They’re effective for a variety of surfaces, but they have a short shelf-life once you alter them. Your disinfectant’s label should give you the right time frame that you have to use it in before disposing of what’s left.

Are dwell times really that important?

When it comes to cleaning and disinfecting, there are plenty of opinions and suggestions floating around. Dwell time isn’t one of them. Following the appropriate dwell time is a requirement for effective disinfecting. The EPA puts in a lot of work to test and confirm the effectiveness of different disinfectants so that we don’t have to. If the end goal is thorough and effective disinfection of any surface, letting the disinfectant dwell for as long as the label specifies is crucial.

Corvus Janitorial Systems

While we’re sharing space with COVID-19, following the appropriate cleaning and disinfecting procedures is more important than ever. If figuring out the ins and outs of effective office or business cleaning feels overwhelming, we’re here to help. We understand the appropriate dwell times of common disinfectants, use high-grade chemicals and procedures, and offer a variety of advanced services specifically designed to fight fast-moving viruses like COVID.

If your workplace is in need of commercial cleaning and/or disinfecting services, contact your local Corvus Janitorial Systems team for a free consultation and quote.