CDC Guidelines for Safe Surface Cleansing

2/6/2023 (Permalink)

The following guidance is for buildings in community settings and is not intended for healthcare settings where specific regulations or practices for cleaning and disinfection may apply. Additionally, this guidance only applies to cleaning and disinfection to prevent the spread of most harmful germs, such as viruses or bacteria. This guidance does not cover cleaning of other materials (such as chemicals) from surfaces. Regularly cleaning surfaces in your facility helps prevent the spread of germs that make people sick.

Cleaning with commercial cleaners that contain soap or detergent decreases the number of germs on surfaces and reduces risk of infection from surfaces in your facility. Cleaning alone removes most types of harmful germs (like viruses, bacteria, parasites, or fungi) from surfaces.

Sanitizing reduces the remaining germs on surfaces after cleaning.

Disinfecting can kill harmful germs that remain on surfaces after cleaning. By killing germs on a surface after cleaning, disinfecting can further lower the risk of spreading disease.

If you do sanitize or disinfect, clean surfaces first because impurities like dirt may make it harder for sanitizing or disinfecting chemicals to get to and kill germs.

Consider the type of surface and how often the surface is touched. Generally, high touch surfaces are more likely to spread germs. If the space is a high traffic area, you may choose to clean more frequently or disinfect in addition to cleaning.

When to Clean Surfaces

• Clean high-touch surfaces regularly (for example, pens, counters, shopping carts, door handles, stair rails, elevator buttons, touchpads, restroom fixtures, and desks).
• Clean other surfaces when they are visibly dirty.

How to Safely Clean Various Surfaces

In most situations, cleaning regularly is enough to prevent the spread of germs. Always wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds after cleaning. Follow these tips to safely clean different surfaces in your facility:

For hard surfaces:

• Clean surfaces with soap and water or with cleaning products appropriate for use on the surface.

For soft surfaces:

• Clean the surface using a product containing soap, detergent, or other type of cleaner appropriate for use on these surfaces.
• Launder items if possible, according to the label’s instructions. Use the warmest appropriate water setting and dry items completely.
• Vacuum surfaces such as carpets and rugs and dispose of the dirt safely.