The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has created multiple challenges for houses of worship.  The CDC has suggested that coronavirus may remain viable from several hours to many days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by professional disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in households and community settings according to the CDC.

      We have been asked repeatedly about what is recommended to be used to disinfect pews, wood furniture and other surfaces in houses of worship. We understand the desired urgency to use aggressive cleaning agents including bleach-based disinfectants to stop the spread of germs on the pews and other surfaces. Unfortunately, the fine finishes can be damaged by repeated applications of harsh detergents or disinfectants that contain alcohol or other dry solvents that are found in retail disinfectants. According to the Society of Cleaning and Restoration Technicians (SCRT), a nonprofit trade group. “Most consumers are looking for fast, inexpensive and effective ways to clean and disinfect furnishings and fixtures. However, often they are victims of overly simplistic advertising: ‘One spray in the middle of a room disinfects everything!’ This is not credible nor possible.”

Our Cleaning Recommendations for Your Church's Furniture

     You have made a significant investment in your facility's furniture, and we have some recommendations to help you take care of it.  These recommendations are based upon our expertise in disinfecting and protecting your facility.

• We wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. We discard our disposable gloves after each cleaning and we suggest you do the same. If reusable gloves are used, those gloves should be at least dedicated for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces for COVID-19 and should not be used for other purposes. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.

• If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

Cleaning & Disinfecting Pews & Seating

First, we identify the type of finish on your wood surface: it is either a) a hard finish or b) an oil finish.   We test this by using boiled linseed oil.  

• We rub a few drops into a hidden part of the furniture (just in case it affects the stain).

• If the oil beads up, we determine that you have a hard finish; or

• If the oil is absorbed, you have an oil finish.

Cleaning Furniture with Different Finishes

     The SCRT says “Furniture that is painted or has multiple coats of finish can be damaged by repeated applications of harsh detergents or disinfectants that contain alcohol or other dry solvents,”   We use a EPA registered, environmentally safe disinfectants that will not harm the fine hard or oil-based finishes.   We determine which disinfectants to use based on each unique finish.  Further, our disinfectant and protectant applications are monthly and therefore have much less exposure than regular cleanings with household based chemicals that might damage the finishes with repeated usage.

CAUTION:

• Never clean wood furniture with a hose or excessive water. Standing water will cause significant damage to wood furniture.

• Never use a water-based polish or polish containing wax. These will ruin the finish of the wood.

Cleaning Upholstered Church Pews and Chairs

     We disinfect your wood pews, doorknobs, light switches, and other high-touch surfaces but what about your upholstered pews?  Please don’t reach for that can of disinfecting aerosol spray or mixing your own in a spray bottle.   For loose pew cushions, we don’t take cushions out of their covers to clean them. The covers might shrink in the wash and no longer fit over the cushion. Instead, we apply a spray-on, peroxide-based disinfectant designed exactly for this purpose. This ensures that the fabric doesn’t fade or is discolored.   Store-bought chemicals after repeated use can cause fabrics to fade.   Our application is an atomized spray that is extremely fine and light.  Applying spray with larger droplets from a hand spray bottle can actually work against your efforts by creating a moist environment that fosters the growth of other microorganisms.

Metal Care

     Many metal surfaces are covered with a nitrocellulose-based clear protective coating.  It’s important to stress to your maintenance staff and cleaning staff that they are not cleaning the metal, they are cleaning the protective surface on top of the metal.

CAUTION:

• Commercial metal cleaners and polishes could potential damage and cause premature break-down of the protective clear coating.  Even ammonia-based cleaners, such as Windex, can weaken the protective coating.

• All cleaning motions should be done in the direction of the metal’s grain.  Even polished stainless steel has a fine grain to the metal.  Avoid swirling or crisscross motions that can damage the protective coating.

• To disinfect your metal surfaces, we use a specialized eco-friendly solution that causes no ill effect to the clear protective coating. Strong cleaning solutions and harsh chemicals can damage the protective finish.

• We spray on our disinfecting and protective coatings and leave them to air dry without a residue.   Spraying and immediately wiping away the disinfectant is normally ineffective.   Disinfectants, depending on the "kill rate" must be left on the surface for specific periods of time to be effective against pathogens.

How we disinfect Your Door Handles and Other "High-Touch" Areas

     Doorknobs are one of the most highly contacted surfaces in your sanctuary, but may not be cleaned on a regular basis. If you wipe down a doorknob you may be surprised by the amount of dirt that comes off it. Bacteria and viral pathogens aside, the oils on our hands accumulate over time on these small surfaces, attracting even more grime and foreign particles.  We focus a lot of effort on disinfecting "high-touch" surfaces and doorknobs are at the top of our list.  Again, we spray our non-toxic solutions and allow them to air dry on the surfaces. Other "high-touch" surfaces include other often-overlooked areas as well, like light switches, remotes, and computer mouse and keyboard.

Some Surfaces are Actually Self-Cleaning

     A lesser-known fact is that certain metals, such as brass, actually sterilize themselves after a certain period of time, making them ideal materials for surfaces like doorknobs (It’s called the oligodynamic effect). Brass doorknobs disinfect themselves in about eight hours, while stainless steel and aluminum knobs never do. Unvarnished brass doorknobs, therefore, tend to be more sanitary than stainless or aluminum doorknobs.  Brass and other metals are subject to discoloration and pitting from overuse of the wrong chemical disinfectants.  As you may know from your own experiences, using the wrong cleaning products can damage the finishes and protective clear coatings applied to your furniture and hardware.

Carpet Care

     The Carpet and Rug Institute  has published a statement with links to the CDC’s recommendations related to the COVID-19 pandemic.   “The Carpet and Rug Institute recommends following the CDC’s cleaning and disinfection recommendations for US households with suspected or confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019, which can be found on CDC.gov. For soft or porous surfaces, such as carpeted floors, rugs and drapes, the CDC recommends “removing visible contamination if present and cleaning with appropriate cleaners indicated for use on these surfaces. After cleaning, launder items as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and dry items completely, or use products with the EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims (examples at this link) that are suitable for porous surfaces.”  The carpet and rug industry is committed, above all else, to serving our customers, our communities and the millions of people who benefit from our products every day.” -      See the CRI website for additional recommendations related to routine care and cleaning.
     Again, we apply appropriate disinfectants and pathogen protectants based on your specific fabric and soft surface circumstances.   We are sensitive to the eco-friendly chemical disinfectants that we apply to all surfaces.   

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      We check the CDC.gov website daily for the latest updates and recommendations related to COVID-19 so we can make sure we are providing your facility with the most recent methods of keeping your facility's occupants safe.  

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     EcoProGuard has developed a program tailored specifically to the needs of the Parish Churches and related facilities of the Diocese of Memphis in Western Tennessee.  Using our program to disinfect and protect will assist you in maintaining the highest standard of care for your all of your facilities and furniture.   We will help you develop the proper written standards and protocols while implementing this disinfection safety plan.      

     Call us today today about a free on-site estimate about how we can assist you in developing a safety disinfection plan and process.    Or, if you prefer, you can easily use our online appointment tool to book a time for this free discussion at your location.

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Phone: (901) 300-4807
Email:  info@ecoproguard.com

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