How Pressure Washers Prevent the Spread of Viruses in Workplaces

In light of the coronavirus outbreak, there’s an increased awareness of the importance of having good hygiene habits. Businesses of all kinds that are still operating have now responded to the threat of this highly contagious virus by redoubling efforts to keep their workplaces sanitized. Doing so is critical. A single case of COVID-19 among one’s employees could lead to a total shutdown.

However, strict sanitary measures ought to have been the norm before the coronavirus crisis and should remain so when it’s over. Once COVID-19 has passed, businesses will need to help mitigate the possibility of their being another outbreak by maintaining sanitized workplaces. This will help prevent the transmission of novel viruses. It will also slow the spread of the seasonal flu, which affects 10% to 25% of Canadians every year, causing them to stay home from their jobs and in some cases, to be hospitalized.

 

The advantages of sanitizing with a pressure washer

For many businesses, the most efficient and effective way to sanitize their surfaces is with a hot water pressure washer. This is due to the combined impact of using a high-pressure stream and water temperatures reaching up to 200°F (93°C). Plus, disinfectant products can be added directly to the water stream. The agricultural, food processing, transportation and construction industries, among many others, rely on pressure washers for their daily cleaning and sanitizing processes.

 

Cleaning vs. sanitizing a surface

There’s an important distinction between cleaning and sanitizing. Cleaning can leave a surface spotless, but it doesn’t get rid of all bacteria, viruses and fungi. Cleaning is, however, the first step in the sanitizing process as a surface has to be cleaned first for a sanitizer to work effectively. The point of sanitizing or disinfecting a surface is to remove all germs and bacteria.

 

Best practices for avoiding the spread of viruses

To prevent the transmission of the flu and viruses such as COVID-19, businesses should sanitize surfaces on a daily basis. Viruses can survive for 24 to 48 hours on hard surfaces such as counters, doors, door handles and heavy equipment. High-touch surfaces should be sanitized multiple times a day. It is important to follow the guidelines of Health Canada or your Provincial Health Service for preventing the spread of viruses.

 

Need a gas, diesel or electric pressure washer in Western Canada?

Hotsy Water Blast has over 100 kinds of pressure washers to serve every industry and application. We also have over 50 types of detergent, some of which are designed to disinfect surfaces. A popular option is Vital Oxide, a hospital-grade no-rinse, disinfectant sanitizer. Contact us to get more information about our cleaning products.