[roger underhill]

Hi all,
A good repeat customer of mine is a dementia establishment that has had an episode of Norovirus in the home. I have been asked to attend to clean two lounge carpets and 30 easy chairs as they have a requirement to do this following an attack. Is there a good chemical out there that can kill the virus and act as a pre-treatment ?
Have any of you ever worked in this environment and if so, what precautions did you take, over and above gloves and meticulous hygiene ?

[Jamie Pearson]

Chemspec Formula 429 Plus

[David Ware]

A believe Simon has a lot of experience with this virus on crews ship.
David

[John Kelly]

As Jamie says. This also has residual properties so will go on working for as long as its on the surface. This is also a good opportunity to market fogging of the same product to both help in this instance but also carried out regularly to help prevent further outbreaks.
Pre-spraying the items you are working on with 429 or 429+ will help prevent any cross contamination from those items. Main point of contact is door handles and toilets so be extra careful if filling buckets etc. Change disposable gloves frequently don't just wear the same pair all day. Avoid eating or drinking on the premises and try and prevent wiping your eyes or mouth when working.

[Jamie Pearson]

Leaving some trigger sprays of dilute product for domestic staff to wipe down touch points over the following days is also worth while.

[Simon Gerrard]

The chemical you need is called Activ8
http://www.activ8disinfectant.com/Fast-Facts/
This is what the Port Health Authority recommend for use on cruise ships.
A few things you should take account of before even considering taking on a job like this, especially a small one.
1. Norovirus is a particularly virulent virus that spreads like wildfire, especially with the elderly, so being in a environment where a lot of people are in a confined space increases the risk of you catching it.
2. By rights you should not work in a public place, or people's homes for at least 48 hours after having been in an infected area.
3. If you do get it you will know about it, big time, and will be out of action for atleast a week.
4. Do not make any hand to mouth movements without first washing your hands in very hot water.
5.Because of the risks and the fact that you shouldn't work on other places for 48 hours, your price should reflect that.
6. The ultimate way to deal with this is by fogging the entire space with Activ8 and then wipe down the surfaces and clean carpets and upholstery, whether this is possible in this circumstance is debatable.
7. If using HWSE, which you should, the water should be well above 157 degrees F as that is the tempreture beyond which hot water kills germs and viruses.
8. If you're just doing the c&u cleaning, do not sell it to the client as the answer to the problem, because it along with other measures they should put in place are only part of the answer individually, but collectively form a coordinated effort to kill the issue.
9. Spray all,of your equipment before and particularly after the job with Avtiv8. Wear gloves and a mask and change them regularly.
10. When you get home wash all of your clothes in very hot water and have a hot shower.
So, as long as you know what you are dealing with and the issues that could arise if you catch it and your getting well and truly paid for the risks then go for it, but do it with your eyes open.
One more thing, this is not a situation where the lowest bidder gets the job, if the client haggles then they are trying to deal with it on the cheap and you simply can't do that when dealing with something like norovirus.
Hope this helps

Simon

[David Ware]

Thats opened a can a worms for anyone taking this virus on. Good advise from all
David

[Simon Gerrard]

Just for a absolute clarity.
The client should be the driving force and the specifier of the job after having taken advice from the proper authorities. So by rights they should specify how they want the job done (and with what), because what you are doing is only part of the solution. If you let a client believe that you are the answer and the problem doesn't stop then they may see it as your fault.
One more thing, the exhaust of hwse machines can arguably propel the virus into the atmosphere.

Simon

[roger underhill]

Superb advice and information, thank you all very much.
I am meeting with the client tomorrow to discuss all aspects, I will report back following my meeting.

[Paul Moss]

Rodger, best advice I can give you is...don't lick the windows 

[Derek_Walker]

Hopefully, the virus should be dead once you've presprayed, so the portable exhaust shouldn't be a problem, but you can run an exhaust pipe out the window. Simon you are such a naughty truckmounter. 

[jasonl]

Brilliant post and attitude Simon , I apply the same logic to water damage , the health risks within 48 hours are just as acute , sooner if dealing with a sewerage flood.   None of this can be done with a carpet cleaners 300 a day attitude.

[Simon Gerrard]

Simon you are such a naughty truckmounter. 

I wasn't making a TM / portable point. We use numerous portable teams on cruise ship situations, as it simply isn't possible to have TM hoses running on every deck of a ship. To be fair, there is just as much contamination risk with long runs of TM hoses  lying on the carpet as there is with the exhaust issue which I did say was 'arguably' as in theory extracted water should be heavily laced with anti-viral agents and pose no threat at all.

Simon

[dek]

Hi Simon
Quite fancy another day on a ship -- could do with an outbreak or two!
cheers.