COVID-19 and Virus Disinfection in Orlando, FL

First identify whether the wood is sealed, and consult both product labeling and care directions for the furniture. After a spot test, you may apply a compatible product to sealed wood. Unfinished or delicate wood can stain, swell or lose its finish, so avoid soaking it. Select a method suitable for the material if the product label does not allow its use there.

Alcohol can inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19 when the concentration, surface and wet contact time are appropriate. On hard surfaces, follow the label for an EPA-registered product or a different product endorsed by the surface manufacturer. Do not spray alcohol near heat or flame, and do not assume a quick wipe gives enough contact time.

Because the cause of COVID-19 is a biological agent, exposure precautions are called for when working around a known illness. Setting and the presence of regulated waste, bodily fluids or blood determine the precise cleanup category. Routine surface disinfection is not the same task as blood cleanup or hazardous waste removal.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer can reduce germs on your hands when soap and water are not available. Use a product with at least 60 percent alcohol and rub all hand surfaces until dry. Rooms, electronics and furnishings should not be disinfected with hand sanitizer, which is intended for hands. Wash with soap and water when hands are visibly dirty.

A virus may be a biological hazard due to its ability to cause disease. Risk levels vary with the virus, exposure route, environment and work being done. Your plan for disinfection needs to fit the real hazard. Cleaning, controlling access, wearing protective equipment and choosing the right disinfectant all matter, but one measure alone cannot substitute for the others.

Begin by cleaning visible soil, then use an EPA-registered disinfectant appropriate to the surface and virus being targeted. Keep the fully covered surface wet for as long as its label specifies. Wear the protective equipment named on the label, ventilate as directed and never mix cleaning chemicals.

First address areas occupied by the sick person and their touch points. Keep other people away, clean visible soil and disinfect compatible hard surfaces according to the product label. Launder compatible fabrics using their care directions. A visit from professionals may help when a shared area is large, materials are sensitive or a documented scope is needed for each room.

One visit may be enough to finish a focused area in a home. A school, large office or commercial facility could require more time or cleaning in separate stages. Room quantity, furniture, delicate surfaces, access and product contact periods all affect timing. Request a scope identifying every included area along with any instructions for reentry.

An EPA-registered disinfectant should have label directions supporting the target virus or an emerging viral pathogen. A product's label matters more than how strong it seems or smells. You can find the required contact period, protective equipment, application method, dilution and permitted surfaces on the label so the disinfectant works as intended.

You should not assume automatic coverage. Routine or preventive disinfection may count as maintenance under many policies, and treatment of another event depends on the policy. Explain the reason for the work when calling your insurance company, then ask about the deductible, exclusions and records you must submit. Save photos, the product list, your invoice and the scope for assessment of the claim.