UltraVapor Cleaning

UltraVapor Cleaning in Hospitals and Medical Clinics

Just as UltraVapor has proven its effectiveness in sanitizing surfaces in food plants by eliminating pathogenic microorganisms that could contaminate our food, it is also proven very beneficial for deep cleaning and sanitizing in hospitals and medical clinics.

Over the past several the morbidity and mortality associated with “superbugs” including Clostridium difficile (C difficile or C diff), Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin resistant Enterococci (VRE) have been receiving increased public attention.

(for more information about these bacteria and other causes of nosocomial infections click here)

This increased public awareness of these bugs and the potential deadly consequences of infection have led to demands for improved prevention and control by hospitals and clinics. In many jurisdictions regular reporting of morbidity and mortality statistics where these bugs are implicated is now required and most hospitals are developing strict procedures on dealing with infected patients and for reducing the possibility of infections occurring.

One of the best ways to eliminate these infections is to reduce or eliminate the bacteria or viruses through rigourous cleaning and sanitation of all areas where the bacteria or viruses can be present. This includes bathrooms, door knobs, rolling stock (beds, wheelchairs), medical equipment, furniture, bedding, walls, etc.

There are several challenges associated with doing this effectively:

1. labor and material costs – hospitals and clinics are typically under heavy pressure to reduce all costs and particularly those not associated with direct medical care. This requires any cleaning/sanitation activity to be both effective and cost efficient.
2. The wide variety of surfaces to be cleaned typically requires many different approaches and tools. Certain surfaces are very difficult to clean – wall paper, blinds, room furnishings (phones, TV controls, cushions)
3. What looks clean isn’t necessarily sanitized. Bacteria and viruses and spores can survive for long periods in cracks and crevices that normal cleaning doesn’t address.
4. Some bacteria and spores are resistant to certain common sanitizers or cleaners and often many different types of chemicals need to be used to ensure full sanitation. The use of many chemicals has drawbacks due to expense, handling and storage requirements, increased sensitivity by certain people to various chemicals, etc.

These challenges are why many hospitals have added dry steam or UltraVapor to their cleaning arsenal. Rea UltraVapor equipment:

1. The high temperature vapor kills bacteria and viruses instantly and the vapor easily penetrates into cracks, crevices and other harborage locations.
2. The low moisture content allows soft furnishings, including mattresses and pillows, to be cleaned and sanitized and left virtually dry and ready for use. It can also be used safely around electrical equipment and other items that are water sensitive.
3. The vacuum recovery system removes dirt and soils as well as any bacterial spores.
4. The UltraVapor equipment allows sanitizers to be added along with steam thus providing residual protection to surfaces and for guaranteed penetration into nooks and crannies.
5. UltraVapor is very safe and easy to use.
6. There is no chance of bacteria developing heat resisitance

After implementing use of this technology in 2006 University Hospitals of Leicester NHS trust (UK) cases of MRSA and cases of C Dif were both reduced by over 50%.

A document released by Health Protection Scotland found “..studies into the efficacy of steam cleaning demonstrated that this methodology results in complete disinfection of the surfaces assessed of the test organisms, which included MRSA, Acinetobacter and Clostridium difficile spores”.