Disinfection should always be carried out when performing blood spill cleanup service because blood pollution is extremely favourable environment for the growth of bacteria and microorganisms. Good sanitation in an apartment where some trauma or crime occurred is achieved through a combined program of thorough cleaning of all surfaces and equipment, followed by disinfection performed by either a blood spill cleanup service or a crime scene service. It is known that thorough cleaning removes up to 90% of microorganisms from the surface. On an unwashed surface, residues of contaminants not only protect microorganisms from sanitization, but also reduce the effectiveness of the disinfectants due to the dilution effect or chemical reaction of the organic matter with the disinfectant.
Chemical compounds used as disinfectants differ in chemical structure, activity against various types of microorganisms and conditions under which they exhibit maximum activity. In order to select an effective disinfectant, it is necessary to identify potential pathogenic microorganisms and make sure that the selected disinfectant is active against these microorganisms. Since chemical disinfectants do not have a high penetrating power, microorganisms in cracks, and scratches may not be completely destroyed after treatment. Chemical disinfectants can be effective only if the surface is thoroughly cleaned before treatment and cleaning is the first thing blood spill cleanup service does.
The processing efficiency depends on a number of factors:
- Exposure time. Studies have shown that 90% of microorganisms die in a certain time interval, 90% of the remaining organisms die in the next time interval, while only 1% of the original number of microorganisms remains. The exposure time depends on the effectiveness of the disinfectant on a given type of microorganisms.
- Temperature. It’s a well-known fact that an increase in temperature leads to the death of microorganisms, therefore, blood spill cleanup service often disinfects different items or furniture upholstery with the help of this technology.
- Concentration. With an increase in the concentration of the disinfectant, the rate of death of microorganisms increases.
- PH indicator. The activity of antimicrobial compounds, as a rule, depends on the pH. For example, chlorine and iodine containing disinfectants lose their activity with an increase in the pH.
- Hardness of water. With an increase in the concentration of water hardness salts, the biological activity of disinfectants decreases. For example, quaternary ammonium compounds are not compatible with calcium and magnesium salts. Blood spill cleanup service must take this fact into account when using disinfectants.
- Cleanliness of the surface and equipment. Many disinfectants interact with organic compounds left on a poorly cleaned surface and lose their biological activity.
Characteristics of an ideal disinfectant.
An ideal disinfectant should have the following properties:
- high biological activity against bacteria, fungi, yeasts, providing rapid death of microorganisms;
- resistance to the environment (be effective in hard water, in the presence of organic residues, detergent residues);
- lack of toxicity and skin-irritating action;
- lack of smell;
- stability in concentrated form and in the form of a working solution;
- ease of use;
- accessibility;
- affordable price;
- ease of identification during use.
Unfortunately, an ideal disinfectant that simultaneously satisfies all of the above parameters has not yet been created. In practice, you should choose a disinfectant with high biological activity against microorganisms.