Are You Disinfecting Properly? What Every Facility Manager Should Know

In the world of commercial cleaning, not all cleaning is created equal. As a facility manager or business owner, you understand the importance of keeping your space clean and safe for employees and visitors. But are you truly disinfecting properly?

Understanding the Differences
Before diving into products and protocols, it’s crucial to understand the distinctions between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting:

• Cleaning: The physical removal of dirt, dust, and debris from surfaces. This is typically done using soap or detergent and water. While it improves appearance and reduces the number of germs, it doesn’t necessarily kill them.
• Sanitizing: Reduces the number of germs on surfaces to a safe level, as determined by public health standards. It’s often used in environments like food service areas, where germ control is important but not as rigorous as in healthcare settings.
• Disinfecting: Kills most viruses, bacteria, and fungi on surfaces using EPA-approved chemicals. Disinfecting goes beyond cleaning and sanitizing and is especially important in high-touch, high-traffic areas.

The Importance of Disinfection in Commercial Settings
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, disinfecting services became a top priority for businesses of all sizes. Facilities relied on enhanced cleaning protocols to keep their teams safe and their doors open. While the urgency may have diminished in recent years, the need for proper disinfecting hasn’t gone away.

Germs, bacteria, and viruses are still present in the workplace—especially in shared spaces like breakrooms, restrooms, conference rooms, and lobbies. Regular disinfecting reduces the risk of illness spreading throughout your workforce, which in turn minimizes call-offs, maintains productivity, and helps create a healthier environment.

Types of Disinfectants and How They Work
Different environments require different disinfectants. At MCS Building Solutions, we use a variety of EPA-registered disinfectants tailored to each facility’s needs. These include:

• Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats): Effective against a broad range of pathogens and commonly used in commercial environments.
• Hydrogen peroxide-based disinfectants: Eco-friendly and fast-acting, ideal for healthcare or office settings.
• Alcohol-based solutions: Quick drying and effective, especially for electronics or surfaces that can’t be wet for long.

Consistency and proper dwell time (how long a disinfectant must sit on a surface to be effective) are key components of a successful disinfection routine.

Why Partner with MCS for Extra Disinfection Services?
Even in a post-pandemic world, the need for consistent and effective disinfecting hasn’t disappeared. MCS Building Solutions continues to offer disinfecting and sanitizing services for businesses that want to go the extra mile in keeping their facilities safe and welcoming.

Whether you’re in healthcare, education, manufacturing, or general office settings, we tailor our disinfecting protocols to suit your industry and level of risk. Our trained technicians follow best practices to ensure your facility meets health and safety standards. So whether it’s flu season or just a regular Tuesday, you can count on us to deliver peace of mind.

Ready to step up your disinfection game? Reach out to MCS Building Solutions to learn more about our extra disinfecting and sanitizing services and how we can support your cleaning goal