(a) Cleaning / Disinfection Standard
1. Lift cars and escalators
• Disinfect and wipe clean lift cars, escalator handrails, especially call buttons inside and on each floor with a cloth soaked with diluted household bleach (1 part of bleach with 99 parts of water) at least four times a day.
2. Lobby entrance areas
• Disinfect and wipe clean main building entrances, doorknobs and handles, security locks and buttons with diluted household bleach (1 part of bleach to 99 parts of water) at least four times a day.
3. Enquiry counters
• Disinfect and wipe clean counter surfaces, commonly used stationary with diluted household bleach (1 part of bleach to 99 parts of water) at least four times a day.
4. Corridors, staircases and floors
• Disinfect and mop clean corridors, staircases and floors with diluted household bleach (1 part of bleach to 99 parts of water) at least once a day; handrails to be disinfected and wiped clean four times a day.
5. Public facilities
• Disinfect and wipe clean public facilities such as chairs, resting area, public phones, vending machines and information kiosks with diluted household bleach (1 part of bleach to 99 parts of water) at least four times a day; handrails to be disinfected and wiped clean four times a day.
6. Workplace
• Disinfect and wipe clean commonly-used furniture and equipment, including telephones, doorknobs, window handles, buttons, switches, intercoms, computer keyboards, printers, fax machines, trolleys with diluted household bleach (1 part of bleach to 99 parts of water) at least twice a day.
• Clear and clean dustbins regularly.
• Vacuum carpets regularly.
• Disinfect and mop floors with diluted household bleach (1:99) regularly.
7. Lecture theatres and classrooms (in active use)
• Disinfect and wipe clean all desks and chairs, doorknobs and switches with diluted household bleach (1 part of bleach to 99 parts of water) twice a day.
• Vacuum carpets regularly.
• Disinfect and mop floors with diluted household bleach (1:99) regularly.
8. Toilets
• Disinfect and wipe clean the lids, seats and rims of the toilets with a cloth soaked with diluted household bleach (1 part of bleach to 99 parts of water) four times a day.
• Disinfect and wipe clean hand soap dispensers, toilet roll dispensers, hand dryers and cubicle doorknobs with diluted household bleach (1:99) four times a day.
• Pour some household bleach into the toilet bowels once a day, usually at the end of the day or place self-dissolving bleach block in the flushing water tanks.
• Pour diluted household bleach (1:99) into urinals once a week.
• Pour diluted household bleach (1:99) into the floor drain at least once a week.
• Disinfect and mop clean floors with diluted household bleach (1:99) four times a day.
9. Refuse collection rooms
• Disinfect and wash floors, walls and collection bins with diluted household bleach (1 part of bleach to 99 parts of water) at least once a day.
10. Washing facilities drains
• Pour some bleach into the drains of frequently used facilities once a day.
• Pour diluted household bleach (1 part of bleach to 99 parts of water) into the drain of less frequently used facilities at least twice a week to ensure the drain trap is always full.
(b) Self-Protective Measures for Cleaning Staff
1. Routine Cleaning/Disinfection
• Wear surgical face mask and cleaning gloves.
• Wash hands before and after wear the mask and gloves.
• Replace the mask daily or as soon as it has become damaged/contaminated.
• Dispose the used mask into a plastic bag and put same into a covered bin.
• Clean the cleaning cloth with bleach after disinfection as appropriate.
• Wash hands with liquid soap frequently, particularly so after each cleaning operation.
• Take a shower from hair to toe and change clothes at the close of each working day.
2. Cleaning/Disinfection of Infected Areas
Appropriate protection equipment shall be worn by cleaning staff engaged in infected areas, including :-
• N95 mask
• Goggles
• Gloves
• Coverall suit or plastic gown
• Shoe cover
• Disposable nurse cap (if coverall suit is not available)
All the protected equipment should be properly disposed at the close of the cleaning/disinfection operation.
Cleaning staff shall then wash themselves thoroughly using soap, and dry up using disposable towel or hand dryer.
(c) Cleaning and Disinfection Procedures
1. Wash
• Sweep litter before washing
• Rinse with clean water
• Use diluted household bleach (1:99 for toilets and refuse rooms and 1:99 for other areas) in cleaning.
• Hose down and remove excess water by mopping or sweeping
• If necessary, repeat washing to ensure area is thoroughly cleaned. Use high-pressure, hot water cleaning machines mixed with dilute bleach as appropriate.
2. Wipe-clean
• Wipe thoroughly with a cloth soaked in a diluted household bleach (1 part of bleach to 99 parts of water).
• For areas that are dirty or subject to a high pedestrian traffic, more frequent disinfection and cleaning are required. Rinse with water and wipe dry with a cleaning cloth if necessary.
(d) General Inspection
• Ensure soil and waste pipes function properly. Any abnormal water splashing should be reported for rectification.
• Ensure refuse is not accumulated in common areas such as corridors, rooftops, staircases or lift pits.
• Look for signs of pest infestation (e.g. rodent droppings, cockroaches, stagnant water) and, if present, clean immediately. Engage pest control if necessary.
• Ensure all water storage tanks are properly covered and that there is no overflow.
• Ensure all ventilation system function properly and are cleaned and maintained regularly to prevent accumulation of dust and dirt.
Dr. Kitty Chan
Convenor
HKU Task Force on SARS
June 23, 2003