More than a Year with Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

Last year, on March 12, a state of emergency was declared. On that day and the following days, Puhastusekspert’s phone was ‘red hot’ with inquiries about how to disinfect air, surfaces, etc. Panic and uncertainty prevailed. What, if anything, has changed regarding coronavirus and cleaning in one year?

The First Reactions Puhastusekspert Encountered

During the initial coronavirus cases, news reports showed instances where a COVID-19 patient had been in a room. Establishments were closed, sprayers in hazmat suits were called in, and everything was disinfected – even streets, playgrounds, and bus stations. Disinfectants were in extremely short supply. Soon after, many companies that had not previously dealt with cleaning issues began offering disinfectants.

We learned of a case where a well-meaning buyer ordered a disinfectant from a well-known cleaning product seller via the internet. Upon collecting the product, they received an unlabeled canister containing an unknown liquid that smelled of moonshine. Admittedly, they did not purchase the product directly from the manufacturer.

We recall a case where a ‘reputation management’ video aimed to demonstrate how well public spaces were being cleaned. It showed surfaces first being wiped with a dirty, crumpled cloth, then people in hazmat suits with sprayers arrived and sprayed all surfaces. When we contacted them and discussed the issue of random wiping with a dirty cloth and the harmfulness of disinfection performed in this manner, the video was ‘corrected’ by removing the cleaning phase entirely and showing even more spraying.

In public spaces, large advertising posters were seen depicting a shop assistant spraying shopping carts with a sprayer in hand, with the caption “A True Hero!” below.

Particularly concerning was a news report shown on television at the beginning of the school year, where a school principal proudly demonstrated that classrooms had 20 spray bottles, and at the end of each day/hour, students sprayed the desks with disinfectant.

All of this was painful to witness, as it has been scientifically proven that using cleaning agents in spray bottles is detrimental to health. A study revealed that the health impact of using cleaning agents in spray bottles is equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes a day. The effect is even worse when disinfectants are sprayed and inhaled. It would have been unheard of for a teacher to force students to smoke 20 cigarettes at the end of the day as a condition for going home – yet spraying disinfectant and endangering respiratory tracts had the same effect.

Or the regrettable incident at a care facility where caregivers, in their ignorance, sprayed each other with disinfectant, hoping to destroy the coronavirus. The result was irreversible health damage to one employee.

It seemed that only disinfection could save the world. Ignorance breeds fear and makes people behave strangely. However, such behavior can lead to consequences contrary to the desired outcome.

What Has Changed?

Over the year, we have become more aware; hundreds of studies have been conducted on the virus, yet clear and definitive understandings of everything are still lacking, and the virus also constantly mutates. We know that transmission via touch surfaces is possible but unlikely. Nevertheless, cleaning touch surfaces remains important – specifically cleaning, because widespread disinfection is not justified. We know that the virus primarily spreads through the air. In connection with cleaning, ventilating rooms is very important. If possible, windows should be opened between meetings, lessons, and similar activities.

As the fight is against an invisible enemy, awareness plays a crucial role in making wise choices. We always seek feedback on our activities – similarly, in cleaning, it is important to analyze whether the implemented measures were sufficient. Over the past year, we have taken more surface samples than before to verify the effectiveness of cleaning methods. Summing all this up, it can be said that conscious action is crucial – how to use a cloth, choose appropriate dampness, wipe firmly enough, and clean aseptically. If the aforementioned is random and surfaces are dirty, disinfectants are of no use – dirt simply interferes, and the disinfectant is ineffective.

Disinfectants are biocides. A biocide is a product containing a chemical or microorganism as an active substance that destroys, deters, renders harmless, or controls organisms harmful to humans. The use of biocides must be a conscious activity, and professional users must have appropriate training; see additional information on the Health Board’s website. Disinfectants in cleaning are comparable to antibiotics in medicine, which have specific rules for their use to ensure the expected effect and not harm the body. The same logic applies to the use of disinfectants in cleaning.

On March 13, 2020, Puhastusekspert created a video about cleaning touch surfaces, and the insights presented in it are still relevant today. If you have read the story to the end and the topic resonates with you, we encourage you to share the video on cleaning touch surfaces so that even more touch surfaces can be consciously cleaned using simple methods. The video can be found here.

We have also reviewed various scientific studies; you can read the summary here.