What we clean

WHAT WE CLEAN Are you cleaning the RIGHT surfaces?

What we clean – or do not clean – is as important as whether we clean.

Nothing is accomplished if we miss an important surface.

Most of us focus on our bathroom, carpet, floor, Food Prep Counters, and Dining Table but overlook the most touched surfaces such as door knobs and remote control. There are in our homes, but it gets more thoughtful as we consider the numerous surfaces we share as we get our commonly needed resources such as fuel, cash or food.

THE PHONE & REMOTE EXAMPLE

Your remote control and phone may be the filthiest devices in your home. But it is your filth and therefore will not make you sick. Begin to share these devices and they become a problem as they are rarely cleaned.

The remote control is generally the most handled, most shared and filthiest surface in a hotel room (yes – even more so than the toilet which IS generally cleaned regularly).

It is our SHARED touch surfaces that most impact our public health. This makes DOOR KNOBS the most under cleaned surface in a home but by no means the only one. Consider the following:

Common Touch Surfaces	Thoughts
Door knobs	Getting in and out of the bathroom, office, building just became an adventure we are re-thinking. Paper towel entry, or wash after use one has to re-think the whole process.
Office Thermostat Controls	A tissue or paper towel for personal protection OR clean with 4oz personal bottle filled with MARBLELIFE RTU Cleaner to protect the office.
ATM Touch-Screen	Often need a finger to operate. Use a knuckle in a pinch. Consider bringing your own 4oz cleaner and cleaning-forward.
Credit Card pin keypad	Prefer the keypad over the touchscreen, as you can use a pen to press or cover with a towel to prevent touching
Gas Station Pump Handle	Use a paper towel to grab the handle, that means putting a roll in the car.
Grocery Cart handle	A paper towel and a 4oz bottle filled with MARBLELIFE RTU Cleaner. A quick spray and wipe and you are ready to go, and can leave the cart better than you found it.
Grocery Basket	Bring your own.
Mailbox	Even if the postman is wearing gloves they are still transferring material from every mailbox touched on the route. Either install a mailbox with a front and back entrance, pull out the papertowel, or wash hands after securing and opening the mail

Re-thinking a touchless building

Automated doors versus pull handle doors	Want to boost your foot traffic, install an automated door, foot operated door, or hip triggered push bar to reduce multi-person door touches. Today touchless is inviting.
Hip-check opening doors versus grab-n-twist door knobs	Allow your staff to transfer from office areas with a hip check pull-or-push knob versus the traditional grab-n-twist door knob. A little thought can make your building easier to transition without having to “hand” operate the door.
Automated Soap Dispenser versus Pump Top Sanitizer	This one is almost funny. You have to share the pump in order to wash one’s hands – you are now relying on a high quality wash - when an automated soap dispenser could reduce common touches.

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ARE WE ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS?   LEVERAGING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM

1. When the TREASURE FLEET of 1715 sank in a hurricane off the Florida Gold C oast the survivors on reaching shore would right that their nightmare had just begun. 
   
   Why? 
   Because with nightfall came black clouds of mosquitoes so think they literally had to bury themselves in the sound to protect themselves from the mosquitoes. 
   
   Today, we have leveraged our understanding of the mosquitoes need for standing still water to introduce fountains into our standing water to reduce and manage mosquitoes. 
2. In the same vein, we need to be asking where the corona family of viruses go in the summer? 
   • Why is there a cold season and a flu season? 
     
     Asking the right questions allows us to begin to piece together what is happening and perhaps how we combat this scourge inside and outside our homes.
   • Starting with what we know:
     • COVID-19 is part of the same family of virus as the flu and the common cold.  While we will not know whether it will behave in a similar fashion there are strong reasons to believe it will.
     • COVID-19and Corona virus in general do not like UV light. 
       • 15 minutes outside with direct access to your skin will generally provide enough UV exposure to kill the virus.  This is believed to be one of the reasons we see it more prevalently in the winter when people spend less time outside, and the sunlight is less intense.  There are numerous papers talking about the positive impact of UV light as a means of disinfecting.  In fact, you may be surprised to learn there are numerous products available using this technology (LINK TO UV PAGE)
       • MARBLELIFE has used UV light for several years to purify our care products and cleaner water sources for several years.
   • Virus require a host and can live outside for a limited timeframe under appropriate temperature and moisture conditions. (CONNECT TO WASHINGTON POST link to interaction model). Social distance reduces the frequency of transfer allowing infection to burn out due to lack of new hosts.
   • The more absorbent the surface the lower the time.
   • If we bring UV in to our buildings common touch areas can be sanitized reducing potential transfer between hosts. UV light can also reduce bacteria and mold.
   • Healthy Buildings would also require we address Bacteria and Mold which are also UV-C sensitive.
     • in the darkness within the pores of your unsealed floor grout, or cement driveways and sidewalks.
     • Of the two the macro are the greater risk – but our goal is to eradicate health scourges meaning addressing all areas.
     • The other potential area would be the dark pores and crevices in our grout floors and counters. 
       • Architects will tell you that newly installed grout can appear stained within 6 months…. Even when “sealed.”  Note the air quotes.  We say this because, MARBLELIFE has studied this problem, determined the root causes of which there are 3. 
         • (1) A typical penetrating sealer is designed to be applied without changing color or finish, and therefore provides the applicator no visual que as to whether sufficient material has been applied to seal the pores in the surface versus simply getting the surface damp.
         • (2) A typical penetrating sealer employs a silicone based chemistry that is acid sensitive, so when cleaned with “green” vinegar or an acidic tile cleaner – while no damage is done to the ceramic-or-porcelain tile – the grout, granite or marble surface sees its seal destroyed opening the surface up for penetration.  We see this in the form of discoloration that we refer to as “dirt.”
         • MARBLELIFE COLORSEAL was developed using a non-acid sensitive sealer coupled with the ability to colorize the sealer so that our applicators can tell when the surface has absorbed the seal and requires additional material.  Once COLORSEALED the same acid cleaners used prior are no longer an issue.  Dirt, bacteria and viruses now remain on top where they can attacked by UV, cleaner or disinfectant for a healthier surface.

MOLDY DRIVE-WAY & SIDEWALKS

1. If you live in Florida you are familiar with how quickly mold will blacken a porous driveway or sidewalk.  In fact, Floridians typically power wash their driveways every 6 to 12 months.  Time can be extended when applying a Cl based mold stain remover.
2. In side we see grout lines attached by mold and common cleaning chemicals.   One needs a power washer because the spores work their way into the concrete pores making it difficult to get to. 
3. A sponge or brush simply runs across the surface while the spore is deep below.  It would be like trying to dig up a claim with a brush instead of a shovel, or cleaning the bottom of a test-tube with a sponge – just not possible – you need to right tool – or you need to seal the surface to keep everything ON TOP.