CM/Spotlight: Infection Control Sponsored by: By: Aaron Baunee, managing editor Quantifying Aaron Baunee, a graduate of the University at Albany with a double major in history and journalism, is the managing edi-tor of Cleaning & Maintenance Management magazine. He can be reached at ABaunee@NTPMedia. com. In his years with the pub-lication, Baunee has amassed numerous articles, columns and commentaries pertaining to com-mercial cleaning and maintenance. Baunee encourages readers to communicate editorial ideas to him and welcomes discussions on pertinent industry happenings. Connect through social media: LinkedIn.com/in/AaronBaunee, Facebook.com/CMMOnline and Twitter.com/CMeNewsDaily. Germ Removal Sensory assessment alone is not sufficient in determining cleanliness. O for more info Visit www.cmmonline.com and type in search key-word: Infection Control . For more information on related products, visit www.cmmonline.com , select SUPPLIER SEARCH from the main navigation bar, and enter keyword: Measurement . Often, a surface appears free of unwanted matter following a cleaning; however, it can be difficult to determine the actual amount of soil removed from said surface. For years, our measurement devices were our innate senses. If something did not look, smell or feel clean — hearing and taste are not entirely applicable here — a red flag was raised, necessitating re-work or a change in chemicals and equipment, staff or procedures. Today, aside from sensory assessment, there are several ways to prove germ removal, includ-ing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) meters, particle counters, ultraviolet light testing and log reduc-tions, all of which offer proof of results. “Using tools to measure and monitor the amount of germs lingering on surfaces is helpful to determine the success rate of cleaning, and it is an important step in the cleaning and disinfecting process,” states Kim LaFreniere, Ph.D, associate research fellow for Clorox Professional Products Company. The Head Of The Class “While the most accurate method of evalua-tion and measurement involves culturing samples taken from surfaces, it is simply not practical in application for a cleaning professional under most circumstances,” proclaims Peter Sheldon, Sr., vice president of operations for Coverall Health-Based Cleaning System. Luckily, there is a more practical device that, while not as precise as laboratory work, can deliver actionable data seemingly instantly: The ATP meter. ATP, first discovered in 1929, is an energy mole-cule found in all living — or once living — organisms. According to Tom Morrison, vice president of marketing for Kaivac Inc., ATP testing should be 16 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • February 2012
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