As flu season approaches, facility managers and cleaning teams must sharpen their focus on high-touch surfaces. From patient rooms to fitness centers, these “hot spots” are prime vectors for transmission of influenza and other respiratory illnesses. A well-designed cleaning and disinfection protocol can make the difference between containing outbreaks and facing recurring absenteeism or liability risks. Below is a guide to the critical spaces to prioritize and how to stay ahead of seasonal illness spread.
1. Understanding Terms: Cleaning, Sanitizing & Disinfecting
Before diving into spaces, it’s essential to clarify cleaning vs disinfecting vs sanitizing:
- Cleaning: removes visible dirt, debris, and organic material (soap, detergent) so that disinfectants can reach surfaces more effectively.
- Sanitizing: reduces microbial counts to a safe level (per public health standards).
- Disinfecting: kills or inactivates viruses, bacteria, and pathogens on surfaces (assuming proper product contact time).
Always clean first, then disinfect. If a surface is visibly soiled, you must clean before disinfecting.
Use EPA-registered disinfectants (or local equivalents) with proven effectiveness against influenza viruses; follow the label for dwell (contact) time and safety instructions.
2. Which “High-Touch Surfaces” Matter — And Why
High-touch surfaces are those frequently touched by multiple people. Studies confirm that influenza viruses can survive on certain surfaces for up to 48 hours under favorable conditions, making timely disinfection key.
In healthcare settings, the CDC lists examples like bed rails, tray tables, IV poles, bedside tables, handles etc.
In non-healthcare facilities, here are typical hot spots to include in your protocol:
- Doors, door handles & push plates
- Light switches
- Elevator buttons / control panels
- Reception counters / front desks
- Desks, workstations, desktops / tabletops
- Keyboards, mice, touchscreens / POS terminals
- Telephone handsets / intercoms
- Coffee stations, vending machines, appliance controls
- Restroom fixtures: faucets, flush handles, soap dispensers
- Fitness equipment handles, touch panels, locker handles
- Handrails, stair rails
- Drawer / cabinet handles
- Payment kiosks
- Shared tools or devices (e.g. clipboard, pens, payment terminals)
Prioritize surfaces with the heaviest use or shared use.
3. Key Facility Zones & Their Unique Requirements
Below is a breakdown of how different facility zones should be managed:
a) Patient / Resident Rooms / Healthcare Spaces
- Focus on bed rails, tray tables, bedside tables, IV poles, monitor controls, call buttons etc.
- Use separate cleaning tools (microfiber cloths, color-coded systems) per room to avoid cross-contamination.
- At turnover (when a patient leaves), perform deep disinfection of all high-touch points, paying attention to less obvious spots (e.g. behind bed, underside of bed surfaces).
- Maintain logs of disinfection (who, when, what product) for compliance and accountability.
b) Lobby / Common Areas / Reception
- Reception desks, check-in counters, card readers, kiosks, pens, touch screens.
- Bathroom access doors, elevator buttons in lobby, handrails, waiting area tables and chairs.
- High frequency cleaning during peak visitor hours; escalate to hourly in flu peaks.
c) Offices / Admin / Cubicles
- Desktops, shared workstations, keyboards, mice, printers/copier control panels.
- Light switches, doorknobs, shared office equipment.
- Encourage individual responsibility: provide disinfectant wipes or sprays for staff to wipe their own workspace at start and end of day.
d) Fitness Centers / Gym / Wellness Areas
- Equipment handles, weight machines, treadmill or elliptical touch panels, control buttons.
- Locker handles, benches, water fountains, touch screens.
- Clean before and after each use if possible, or at least multiple times per hour in busy zones.
e) Restrooms / Locker Rooms
- Faucets, flush handles, door handles, soap dispenser buttons, hand dryer controls.
- Mirror edges, sink counters, stall walls (if frequently touched), dispensers.
- Daily deep cleaning plus intermittent touch-ups.
f) Cafeterias / Food Service Zones
- Serving counters, tray slides, beverage dispensers, payment kiosks, utensil dispensers.
4. Designing a Cleaning Schedule & Frequency
Having identified high-touch zones, the next step is how often and when to clean. Some practical guidelines:
- Twice daily is often a baseline for high-touch surfaces in offices, schools, public buildings.
- In flu season or outbreak periods, escalate frequency to every 1–2 hours for critical surfaces (elevator buttons, reception counters).
- Always schedule cleaning during low-traffic periods (before opening, mid afternoon lull, after hours).
- Use a tiered schedule: hourly checks, 3× daily full rounds, weekly deep clean, monthly audits.
- Maintain a cleaning log / documentation with time, staff, product used, notes for accountability.
5. Best Practices & Training for Staff
To ensure consistency and effectiveness:
- Train all cleaning staff on disinfectant use, dwell time, PPE, safety protocols, and avoiding cross-contamination.
- Use color-coded or dedicated cloths/mops per zone (e.g. restroom vs lobby) to avoid transfer of pathogens.
- For electronics / touch screens / keyboards, use alcohol-based wipes (≥70%) or approved electronic-safe disinfectants.
- Do not mix cleaning chemicals unless specified safe (e.g. bleach + ammonia is dangerous).
- Ventilation helps—open windows or use fans to disperse fumes during disinfection.
- Use spot checks / audits / ATP or surface monitoring tools to verify cleaning efficacy.
- Engage occupants: place signage encouraging hand hygiene, provide hand sanitizer stations, and inform users about cleaning protocols (transparency builds trust).
6. Monitoring, Continuous Improvement & Technology Aids
- Regularly review your cleaning logs and incident reports to identify persistent trouble spots.
- Use checklists and digital logs (apps) to reduce human error.
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Consider technology enhancements:
- Electrostatic sprayers / foggers to ensure more even coverage of disinfectant.
- UV-C disinfection robots during off-hours in unoccupied zones (as a supplement, not replacement).
- Antimicrobial surface coatings (e.g. copper-alloy films) on door handles, handrails for passive germ reduction.
- Electrostatic sprayers / foggers to ensure more even coverage of disinfectant.
- Adjust protocols dynamically depending on infection trends (e.g. increase frequency during peak flu waves).
- Maintain up-to-date Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and chemical inventories.
7. Action Checklist
| STEP | ACTION |
| 1 | Audit and map all high-touch surfaces in the facility |
| 2 | Choose EPA-registered disinfectants compatible with surfaces |
| 3 | Develop a tiered cleaning schedule (hourly, daily, weekly) |
| 4 | Train staff on procedures: PPE, dwell time, safe use |
| 5 | Use color-coded tools / dedicated cloths per zone |
| 6 | Document every cleaning (logs, audits, spot checks) |
| 7 | Leverage tech aids (electrostatic sprayers, UV robots, antimicrobial coatings) |
| 8 | Communicate cleaning protocols to staff & visitors |
When flu season hits, having a well-documented, properly executed, and flexible cleaning and disinfection protocol will help your facility stay safer, reduce absenteeism, and maintain trust among visitors or residents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is considered a high-touch surface?
High-touch surfaces are frequently handled by many people throughout the day—examples include doorknobs, door push plates, light switches, elevator buttons, handrails, touchscreens/POS terminals, keyboards and mice, faucet and flush handles, and fitness equipment handles.
How long can the flu virus survive on surfaces?
Influenza viruses can remain viable on some non-porous surfaces for up to 48 hours under favorable conditions. That’s why timely cleaning and disinfection of high-touch areas is essential during flu season.
How often should I disinfect high-touch areas during flu season?
As a baseline, disinfect high-touch points at least twice daily. In high-traffic zones or during peak flu waves, increase frequency to every 1–2 hours for critical touchpoints like elevator buttons, reception counters, and restroom fixtures.
What disinfectants are effective against flu?
Use EPA-registered (or local-authority equivalent) disinfectants with proven efficacy against influenza viruses. Always follow the product label for proper dilution (if applicable), surface compatibility, and required contact (dwell) time.
Can I just use bleach or household cleaners?
Some household products are effective if they are explicitly labeled for disinfection and used at the correct dilution. Clean visibly soiled surfaces first, never mix incompatible chemicals (e.g., bleach and ammonia), and ensure good ventilation.
Do I need to disinfect electronics like keyboards and touchscreens?
Yes. Electronics are common contamination points. Use ≥70% alcohol wipes or device-safe disinfectants approved by the manufacturer. Keep the surface wet for the full contact time and avoid excess liquid near ports and openings.
Are there technologies that can supplement manual cleaning?
Electrostatic sprayers, UV-C disinfection (in unoccupied spaces), and antimicrobial surface materials can supplement manual cleaning. Treat these as enhancements—not replacements—for routine cleaning and disinfection protocols.