Electrostatic Cleaning Explained

When you need to make sure there are no germs in a space, you need electrostatic cleaning. Technically it’s disinfecting, not cleaning. For areas that need to be free of germs, like hospitals, nursing homes, or schools in the age of Covid, this is a highly effective method. To see it done, you would think the person is just using a sprayer to cover an area with liquid. While this is true, there’s a bit more to it than that. 

How It Works

When something is electrostatic, it has an electric charge. In this case, the disinfecting solution is placed in a container connected to a spray nozzle. As the liquid goes through the sprayer, it is given a positive charge and comes out as a fine mist. This charge makes the disinfectant stick to whatever surface it hits to provide excellent disinfecting power. 

This method is especially useful for cleaning awkwardly shaped or hard-to-reach surfaces. It also provides complete coverage, as the charged particles seek out surfaces to stick to. This gives the disinfectant a wrap-around effect that provides excellent coverage. 

Why It’s Needed

When surfaces are disinfected by wiping, it’s easy to miss areas, giving illness-causing or potentially harmful bacteria and viruses a place to breed. Electrostatic disinfecting, on the other hand, provides complete coverage of surfaces. The result is that all surfaces are fully disinfected. In hospitals, this is essential. In other areas, such as schools or offices, it provides the peace of mind that your space is truly germ-free. 

How To Prepare for Electrostatic Disinfecting

It’s important to make the distinction between cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning is the process of removing dirt and grime, whereas disinfection is killing bacteria and viruses. A clean surface, free from dust, dirt, and grime, still needs to be disinfected. And an area in need of disinfecting first needs to be cleaned. 

Once the area is fully cleaned, it is ready for electrostatic disinfection.

Benefits

  • Disinfecting an area with an electrostatic sprayer is quicker than wiping down every surface. 
  • Electrostatic spraying provides better disinfectant coverage than using a conventional non-charged spray bottle. It also offers better coverage than a wipe-on disinfectant can provide. 
  • Improved infection control against viruses
  • Provides for more efficient use of chemicals, as the product is attracted to surfaces, and the cleaning method of a sprayer helps prevent overuse. 

Disadvantages

For all the good that electrostatic disinfecting provides, there is a downside to keep in mind. 

In the world of electrically charged things, like repels like. A positively charged disinfectant particle will not want to stick to a positively charged surface. Since most bacteria are negatively charged, and the majority of surfaces have a neutral charge, this isn’t a huge concern. 

Electrostatic disinfecting requires specialized equipment and the knowledge to use it. At Zia, we’ve invested in this equipment because we feel it provides a superior result for you, our customer. To learn more or schedule a cleaning appointment, get in touch today. 

About Zia Building Maintenance

Zia Building Maintenance provides full-service commercial cleaning services to Albuquerque businesses of every size. Their customer service and care for employees have made them a top janitorial service provider in Albuquerque for 32 years.