There is no doubt, both consumers and employees are now more clean-conscious than ever, and there’s a high chance that we’ll stay this way long after the COVID pandemic.
How clean is clean? One thing we’ve all learned over the past year is that just because something looks clean, it may not be free from dangerous germs! This means that businesses are looking for new ways to keep their facilities, visitors, and employees protected from biological hazards such as viruses and mold, as well as demonstrating that their work environment is clean and safe!
The need for property managers to be able to prove that their facilities have been properly cleaned is particularly important for the health, morale and productivity of the employees who work in the environments that such property managers oversee. A US study in January, commissioned by Honeywell, to gauge workers’ perceptions and feelings regarding the health and safety of their workplace, found that most still didn’t feel totally comfortable being in the physical workplace because of the state of cleanliness. Sadly, more than half didn’t think that their building had taken enough steps to keep them safe on the job.
The same applies to commercial and retail environments. For example, following the first wave of the pandemic last August, McKinsey & Company surveyed what was of top priority for consumers when they thought about returning to the shopping malls. Their report was crystal clear: “….hygiene and hygiene transparency have emerged as important sources of concern.”
So how do you prove that your cleaning and disinfecting protocols are successful?
Remember the “white glove test,” where a smudge or bit of dust on a white glove was the indicator or whether or not a surface had been properly cleaned? The white glove test is no longer enough to know if the surfaces in a facility are free of germs.
The same McKinsey report mentioned above also stressed the importance of being able to publicly state that cleaning has been effective.
“It is becoming increasingly important for stores and restaurants to not only follow hygiene protocols (thorough cleaning and masks for consumers and employees are top priorities) but also communicate effectively that they are following those procedures.”
Fortunately, there is a way to demonstrate the effectiveness of commercial cleaning, which in turn, means that a property manager and workplace employers can issue honest, accurate reports that speak to quality and scientific proof. This powerful tool is known as “ATP” testing.
What is ATP and ATP Testing?
ATP stands for Adenosine Triphosphate, a molecule that is only found in living cells. ATP is common to all known forms of life, including the harmful microbes present in bacterial, mould, and fungus. If you can find ATP (by using an ATP test), you can be sure that such microbes are present (and alive). ATP testing, therefore, means that you can take action long before evidence is visible to the naked eye, and fortunately, before such bacterial, mould or fungus reach dangerous levels.
Not surprising, an ATP test is sometimes referred to as an ATP “bacterial finder” tool.
Does ATP work with the COVID-19 virus?
You may hear or read that because viruses, such as the one that causes COVID-19, aren’t living cells, they don’t show up on ATP tests. This is true. However, ATP testing still is considered one of the most effective tools for cleaning crews and business owners alike, and here is why.
If an ATP test can show that microbes are present, it’s a sure sign that the environment has not been properly sanitized or cleaned—period. In other words, the presence of harmful microscopic living cells is a warning sign that additional cleaning and sanitization protocols are required. However, if through ATP testing, workplace surfaces such as a keyboards can be shown to be clean of biological contaminants, it is likely that that those keyboards have been cleaned sufficiently to combat viruses as well.
How does the ATP test work?
ATP testing kits come in two parts: a handheld reader, and a disposable swab within something that looks like a pen that contains the testing solution. The tester removes the swab wand from the solution and smears it across the testing area to collect any microbes that may be present. The swab is then reinserted into the reagent solution and the tube is connected to what is called a microplate or assay reader.
The reader performs what is called a “bioluminescence test” (it measures the “biological light” being emitted), and then displays the results. Most ATP tests can be read and analysed within minutes!
Once bacteria and other residues are detected; steps can be put in place for recleaning, perhaps using more effective technologies such as electrostatic disinfection. This is just on way in which the use of ATP monitoring systems are able to help property managers use real-time feedback and long-term data analysis to train, monitor and improve the cleanliness of their facilities.
Where is ATP testing used?
There are many uses for ATP tests in all kinds of commercial settings, including the following:
- Food preparation: measuring surface and equipment cleanliness to meet food safety and sanitation compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements in both Canada and the United States.
- Medical: Ensuring proper sanitization in waiting rooms, examination rooms and surgical areas
- Janitorial: Surface testing in schools, colleges, office buildings, and institutional settings
- Validating quality cleaning in hotels, shopping malls, gyms, public buildings
How to get the best results from ATP testing
In order to get the best results from ATP testing, it’s important to identify the areas that are (a) most likely to be contaminated, and (b) most likely to be overlooked by routine cleaning.
Possible locations for significant ATP test results include:
- Switch plates, elevator buttons, door handles and stair railings
- Food contact surfaces, including sinks, cutting boards, cutlery and counter tops
- Computer keyboards, mice, monitors, desk surfaces
- Chair handles, waiting room magazines, and reception counters
- Shower stalls, exercise equipment, bathroom faucets and handles
Ask your commercial cleaning service about ATP testing
It’s not surprising that professional commercial cleaning companies such as Kleenway are increasingly using ATP testing as part of their overall service, both to determine areas in need of extra attention, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of their service to clients. Now more than ever, it is essential to improve on cleaning methods and quantify cleaning outcomes.
Don’t “wonder” if cleaning has been done effectively. When talking with your janitorial service or commercial cleaning services partner, ask to be sure that the following are in place:
- A custom cleaning program that meets the specific needs of your facilities
- A quality auditing service so that your organization can get a quick facility analysis done using ATP technology, with a report that identifies issues
- Electrostatic disinfection following ATP inspection to ensure that the facility is clean
