Professionals ensure that disinfection is always done correctly

WITH the increase in Covid-19 cases in recent months, particularly in Klang Valley, one company says it has received more and more requests for its disinfection services in commercial and residential premises.

Jason Butt, partner of Jaya Pest Solutions and General Services, said the requests were either as a precaution or because a case of Covid-19 had been reported in the building.

A team from Jaya Pest Solutions and General Services disinfect a clothing store after the store closes for the day. – courtesy photo

“About 70% of our customers come from the commercial sector, such as convenience and grocery stores, architectural and law firms, and pharmacies. Others are residential premises, both high-rise buildings and landholdings, ”he noted.

Before the pandemic hit, Butt said his company’s disinfection services were related to removing dead carcasses from roofs, extermination of maggots, or general maintenance of stores and offices.

“We use benzalkonium chloride – a kind of surface and air disinfectant – to disinfect homes and offices.

“The solution we use is certified by the Ministry of Health. It is odorless, non-greasy, and safe for children and pets.

“We use a fogger to disperse fine droplets of water with the solution onto high human contact surfaces and interior spaces,” he said.

For commercial premises, disinfection is done after office hours, on weekends or when the building is temporarily closed after detection of a case of Covid-19.

For the residential premises, Butt said all occupants would be asked to leave the house and return two to three hours after disinfection is complete.

“Prices vary depending on several factors, such as the number of premises to be disinfected, the number of floors, the distance the premises are located and the transport costs,” he said, adding that the prices ranged from 18 sen to 68 sen per m².

“My employees work as a team – one person to operate the fogger and another to wipe the disinfectant off tables, doorknobs and electrical switches.

“Before proceeding with disinfection, customers would be advised to remove or cover foodstuffs, makeup items, electronic gadgets or anything that is likely to come in contact with their mouth or skin,” he said. he explained.

While some pharmacies and convenience stores reportedly commit his business to sanitizing their stores two to three times a month, Butt said most customers tend to request a one-time exercise.

“For example, an apartment building will call on our services in the event of a positive case of Covid-19, but will not want the common areas and the affected floor to be disinfected,” he said.

Butt’s advice is to disinfect the entire building because people use the same elevators and common access points.

Likewise, the general manager of Hygiene Sanitary Cleaning Services Sdn Bhd, Tan Hong Leong, said the increase in calls for disinfection services correlated with the number of reported Covid-19 cases.

“Before the pandemic, our company was performing scheduled disinfection only for the food processing / preparation industries.

“Our core business is the contractual cleaning and maintenance of industrial and commercial buildings, but we also carry out occasional cleaning for renovation or moving work,” he said.

Most of Tan’s current customers requesting disinfection services come from the commercial sector, such as offices, factories, hypermarkets and banks.

“The SOP of the Department of International Trade and Industry states that premises such as offices and banks must be disinfected at least three times a day,” he said.

“Disinfection of production plants should be done before the start of any shift. Disinfection work is carried out internally by cleaners or assigned personnel.

“For disinfection work where cases of Covid-19 are reported, it is best to do it after office hours to let the disinfectants settle overnight,” he added.

Disinfection costs are based on the total floor area.

“The larger the floor space, the lower the rate will be in terms of price per m². It also depends on the type of disinfection required,” he said.

Tan said the nominal rate was 30 to 40 sen per square foot, but could be lower for areas larger than 50,000 square feet.

“If the space to be disinfected is too small, a minimum tariff is applicable,” he added.

With many types of disinfectants on the market, Tan said that a good understanding of their use is crucial to ensure the effectiveness of the disinfection job.

“Food processing / production areas or central kitchens would require food grade disinfectants that are safe for humans and pets.

“More powerful disinfectants are used for toilets, offices and warehouses. But they are still safe for humans as long as no one is inside the premises during disinfection.

“However, all disinfectants used must meet the required minimum concentration of active ingredients approved to kill viruses such as Covid-19.

“We use a solution containing 0.1% benzalkonium chloride approved by the Ministry of Health,” he said, adding that the company’s disinfection methods included wiping, spraying and misting .

“High-contact surfaces such as doorknobs and doorbells, light switches and common office facilities such as photocopiers, pantry and restrooms require special attention and more frequent cleaning.

“We generally recommend applying a long-lasting disinfectant that remains effective even after repeated use and cleaning,” Tan said.