Many families think their homes are healthy. They’re clean. Surfaces are wiped, floors are vacuumed, and the smell of lemon from cleaning spray is in the air. But what’s really going on? Pathogens are replicating silently on surfaces touched several times a day and contaminants are floating through the HVAC system overnight. Old fashioned cleaning may get rid of the dirt and dried up mess, but it doesn’t prevent microscopic intruders who make families sick.
Therefore, the difference between disinfecting and cleaning is not as great as many homeowners assume. What’s adequate with commercial grade disinfectants, soap and water, and bleach sprays is subpar to the degree where bacteria, viruses, and mold spores, which cause respiratory infections, allergic reactions, and chronic issues, can be eradicated. That’s where professional disinfection comes into play with the air you breathe and surfaces you touch throughout the day.
What Professional Disinfection Actually Does
Professionals understand how germs come to be in the first place, families sneeze and droplets land on the table where they live until someone else touches the table and rubs their eyes; microscopic particles float up into your air circulation and find their way into bedrooms and bathrooms miles away from where they originated from.
For surfaces, professionals with a background in epidemiology or hospitals use EPA-registered disinfecting agents specifically killing noted pathogens, not just commercial grade cleaners that boast they kill 99% of germs. Application methods matter too, spray units can electrostatically wrap disinfectant around intricate items while a cloth cannot reach every angle. For air quality, HEPA filtration, UVC light, air scrubbers do all they can to reduce what’s present in the air.
When families work with Air & Surface Disinfection professionals, they are equipped with knowledge that the specialized trained staff are best suited to fight through an investigative process to determine what’s contaminating a home. Professionals know which products work for which pathogens and how long and strong different methods need to be for thorough disinfection.
The Health Hazards You Don’t See Lurking in Plain Sight
Did you know that thousands of types of bacteria exist in any given home? Many are harmless. Some are beneficial. Some are troublesome, especially for children, elderly family members or those with immunocompromised situations. Staphylococcus bacteria are found on door handles/buttons and can lead to skin infections. Salmonella and E-Coli exist as bacteria present on countertops that lead to foodborne illnesses. Mold spores reside on walls in bathrooms and basements, wherever there is moisture, and render allergic reactions and asthma attacks.
But even worse? Indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Homes are getting tighter to avoid drafts and decreasing energy bills; however, that means allergens are stuck inside. Pet dander, dirt that’s come in from the outside, dust mite poop (from fabrics around the house), pollen that’s transported in when families come in from outside, residue from cleaning products, particles from living day to day, and that’s just the minor stuff! Add sick family members into the mix and your home is a recycling bin for respiratory irritants.
This is especially problematic for vulnerable families. Families with young children should be mindful of how often those young children sit on the floor or have their hands in their mouths after running their hands along dusty edges. Their immune systems aren’t yet developed and it’s easier for them to get sick. Elderly relatives have chronic conditions where mold or bacteria can further complicate their issues. Even healthy adults feel the impact, a cough that never goes away or a headache every morning.
Where Regular Cleaning Falls Short
Certain situations arise when traditional cleaning is not enough. When one family member has the flu, COVID-19 or another communicable virus, just because that family member recovers doesn’t mean any pathogens go away, they’re still in the sheets, or stuck on remotes, and still stalking bathroom fixtures, which cannot be wiped down easily anymore. Thus, while washing sheets is a helpful suggestion and wiping down counters is great, without professional disinfection protocols a family essentially reinfects themselves from the inside!
Home renovations create another category of infection most families don’t even realize. Dust is not just annoying; it’s fine particles of drywall, insulation, and even lead paint if homes are older. Unless cleaned out after renovations, professional air specialists can assess what’s still floating around, regular vacuuming only takes care of what’s on top, the fine particles end up trapped in carpets, hardwood, upholstery, and air ducts, for months.
Water damage and flooding creates a whole new set of concerns, for when water is dried up and things seem dry, there’s still moisture behind walls/under flooring/through vents that allows mold spores/mold to grow. By the time you see or smell mold forming/developing/growing/irritating your lungs it’s too late, this needs industrial equipment to start anew because conventional removal isn’t enough with a dehumidifier when it needs professional machines.
The Technology of Indoor Health
Modern disinfection comes a long way, it’s not just spraying stuff everywhere and hoping for the best. It’s about targeting whatever it is they’re looking to kill or eliminate, electrostatic sprayers charge particles attract themselves to any interior space better than they would exist just sitting there so there’s better coverage without as much waste, they can get it at odd angles/inside niches where a cleaning cloth wouldn’t reach.
For air treatment specifically, HEPA filters capture 99% of everything down to .3 microns, that’s bacteria, viruses, mold spores, pollen, dust mite faeces and more, UVC light systems use UV radiation to kill microorganisms (molecular DNA) so they can’t reproduce, and even so, they’re exposed in HVAC systems that continuously treat air as it comes through circulation throughout homes.
The value of professional services comes into play when they know what’s best based on prevalence. A family that repeatedly suffers from respiratory infections needs different attention than someone looking to get rid of mold. Surface infections need different attention than food borne illness from germs that another family member brought home, without professional tools and service expertise it’s easy for people just to assume a top all clean will do, but it won’t.
Making It Work for Your Family
Truthfully, professional disinfection isn’t something families need on a weekly basis; however, knowing when to bring in professionals makes a difference for prolonged health. When there has been a flu bug/pandemic inside the home; before a baby comes home from the hospital; if an immunocompromised person moves in; any time there’s water intrusion or suspected mold, these are times professionals can help.
Cost varies based on home and situation but most families find that germs bred by parents germs/familial germs/mold developed from excess moisture (theirs has brought in more dirt/mold) or frequent allergy symptoms or home damage assessments have more expense than accountability from professionals after the fact. It’s also worthwhile to note that many professionals have maintenance plans for families who want periodic indoor air assessments/disinfection routine treatments moving forward.
In addition to professional help, keeping up with healthy indoor air quality helps families feel safe, ventilation techniques (exhaust fans in bathrooms/kitchens), regularly observing HVAC units for better filtering/excess moisture, but when regular cleaning isn’t enough compared to what professionals can remove from indoor viruses, pathogens, fungi, mold, particles, and debris they can help families live in healthier homes where everyone can breathe easy.
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