COVID-19 and Virus Disinfection in Fort Lauderdale, FL

You should not assume automatic coverage. Some policies may classify preventive or routine disinfection as maintenance but assess another event under different terms. Call your insurance company, explain why the work is needed and ask about exclusions, the deductible and required records. Save photos, the product list, your invoice and the scope for assessment of the claim.

The virus that causes COVID-19 is a biological agent, so work in the presence of known illness calls for precautions against exposure. The specific category for cleanup varies by setting and by whether bodily fluids, regulated waste or blood are present too. Routine disinfection of surfaces differs from blood cleanup or hazardous waste removal.

An EPA-registered disinfectant should have label directions supporting the target virus or an emerging viral pathogen. Product strength or scent is less important than its label. You can find the required contact period, protective equipment, application method, dilution and permitted surfaces on the label so the disinfectant works as intended.

Because viruses are capable of causing disease, they can qualify as biological hazards. How much risk exists is shaped by the setting, task, route of exposure and virus. Your plan for disinfection needs to fit the real hazard. Access restrictions, protective equipment, cleaning and a suitable disinfectant each play a part, though none can replace all the others.

Alcohol-based sanitizer can reduce germs from your hands if you cannot access soap and water. 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. Use soap and water to wash hands with visible dirt.

Clean visible soil first, then apply an EPA-registered disinfectant that is suitable for the surface and target virus. Completely cover the material, maintaining wetness for the labeled contact time. Wear the protective equipment named on the label, ventilate as directed and never mix cleaning chemicals.

Focus initially on touch points and rooms where the ill person spent time. Restrict access by other people, remove visible soil and follow product labeling to disinfect compatible hard surfaces. Launder compatible fabrics using their care directions. For sensitive materials, large common areas or documented room-by-room scopes, a professional visit may be useful.

Alcohol can inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19 when the concentration, surface and wet contact time are appropriate. Use either an EPA-registered product on hard surfaces or one the surface maker recommends, always following its label. Never spray alcohol around flames or heat, and remember that wiping quickly may not allow adequate contact time.

Completion may take one visit when the home area is limited and focused. Work may be divided into stages or take longer for large offices, schools and commercial properties. Timing depends on room count, furnishings, sensitive surfaces, product contact times and access. Request a scope identifying every included area along with any instructions for reentry.

First identify whether the wood is sealed, and consult both product labeling and care directions for the furniture. Spot-test first, then use a compatible product on the sealed wood. Because soaking may cause stains, swelling or finish damage, keep unfinished and delicate wood from becoming saturated. Select a method suitable for the material if the product label does not allow its use there.