WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEANING AND DISINFECTION IN THE PRODUCTION SECTOR?

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEANING AND DISINFECTION IN THE PRODUCTION SECTOR?

Cleaning and Disinfection are Not the Same

Cleaning is a process to remove dirt that has accumulated on a surface. This should always be done before the second stage, disinfection. Once we have carried out a thorough cleaning of the surfaces, we will move on to disinfection. The better and more thorough the cleaning, the better the disinfection results.


Cleaning and disinfecting achieve two different goals. Each plays an extremely important role in getting equipment ready to be used for food processing or pharmaceutical production. It is important to understand the differences between the two and how each contributes to the overall preparation of manufacturing equipment.

Each facility should have written protocols to guide routine general cleaning and ensure that all areas of the environment are regularly cleaned to a satisfactory standard. Staff undertaking cleaning should follow the agreed protocols and have access to sufficient resources and equipment to achieve the required standard of cleanliness. Regulations must be followed at all times and staff must wear appropriate personal protective equipment to protect themselves at all times.

What is disinfecting?

Disinfection means the destruction or killing of any germs or bacteria present on the surface. Disinfectants are used to accomplish this task. "A disinfectant is a product that kills germs without the action of removing dirt".

Why both?

It is imperative that surfaces are thoroughly cleaned before disinfection. Removing traces of dirt, debris and dust prepares surfaces and equipment for disinfection. Soils can harbor germs and bacteria. Disinfection is less effective if surface soils are present.
If a surface is disinfected before it is cleaned, residual dirt can still contribute to the growth of harmful germs and lead to further contamination. Residual dirt can also act as a barrier, preventing the disinfectant from reaching the surface and doing its job. Dirt left on the surface can possibly affect the active chemicals in a disinfectant, affecting their effectiveness. The disinfection step becomes much more effective if the surface is thoroughly cleaned and approved for cleaning first. 

Covid 19 Virus and Facility Cleanup

The virus that causes COVID-19 can land on surfaces. Personnel working in the production facility can become infected if they touch these surfaces and then touch their nose, mouth or eyes. The most reliable way to prevent infection from surfaces is to wash hands regularly with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces can also reduce the risk of infection through the use of various disinfection machines.

The importance of disinfection in the food sector

Ensuring the highest level of hygiene and disinfection in any industry or sector is always essential, but even more so in the food industry, if possible.

Disinfection in the food industry, facilities from microorganisms,
are always subject to extensive protocols and controls that allow us to keep them free of pathogens and comply with the requirements set by healthcare organizations or the quality audits to which they are subject. Sometimes there is little time to perform cleaning and disinfection tasks because there is almost no time to dedicate to these tasks from shift to shift. It is therefore essential to have a technology that allows us to save on disinfectant products and labor, ensuring complete, fast and effective disinfection.

And above all, that we can do it in a short time, thus allowing immediate use of the facilities without affecting the company's daily production. For this, without a doubt, the best option is to save time, costs and product by using disinfection machines.