Managing infection in a safe and sustainable way

FROM CARE homes and hospitals to classrooms and offices, infection control has always been a key objective for cleaning operatives. But after more than two years battling COVID-19, and trying to reduce transmission through hygiene commitments, infection prevention has never been under more of a spotlight. 

Keeping such environments free from bacteria and viruses is complex. Take hospitals, for example. By their very nature, they house illness and viruses all the time. Healthcare associated infections (HAI) have long been a concern for hospitals and healthcare settings and, although they can have devastating effects on already vulnerable patients, they are, in some cases, preventable. Infections such as MRSA and norovirus can spread rapidly if stringent infection control measures are not in place.

This is something we know only too well, with reports claiming that over 40% of COVID cases in the first wave of the pandemic were hospital-acquired. Patients who were originally admitted with a different illness, ended up contracting the virus during their hospital stay. 

Care homes, too, have their challenges. Home to vulnerable residents who may already have underlying health conditions, people are significantly more susceptible to getting infections if hygiene is not up to scratch.  Cross infection is a considerable risk in healthcare settings, which is why cleaning and hygiene has always been of paramount importance.   

Fighting infection 

Throughout the pandemic, we saw cleaning and hygiene efforts go into overdrive. After all, it was hailed as one of the first lines of defence against COVID-19. The harshest chemicals were thrown at any given surface to try and kill the virus and keep on top of transmission. But just how safe were some of these practices and what impact do such techniques have on the environment? 

From overusing disinfectants, which as a result become increasingly ineffective over time, to dramatically increasing the number of single use plastic spray bottles in circulation, the cleaning habits that materialised in lockdown are far from sustainable. 

Of course, we need a robust response to infection prevention, but that doesn’t have to mean using every single chemical in the cleaning cupboard. There are safer, more environmentally-friendly ways to manage cross infection. 

Safe and efficient infection control 

At 2Pure Products we have dedicated the past 15 years to intense lab and field based testing, to find the safest yet most powerful multi-purpose commercial cleaning product in the world. Our OdorBac Tec⁴ cleaning solution is capable of replacing over 90% of customers’ existing cleaning products, reducing risk, training and cost while increasing efficiency, speed and results.

With unparalleled performance, delivered instantly, OdorBac Tec⁴ can be used on any surface, including carpets, hard floors, washrooms, furniture, kitchens, spot stains, and drains, and is compatible with trigger sprays, mops, extraction and buffing machines to effortlessly complete the vast majority of cleaning tasks with just one product. 

As a business, we have committed to only using ingredients that are safe for people and the environment, with Odor Bac Tec⁴ classified as non-irritant and non-hazardous by independent bodies. Yet our product can deliver antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal benefits to bolster infection control regimes. 

Balancing sustainable and efficacy

As we move on from the pandemic, we must find more sustainable ways of cleaning. However, choosing an eco-friendly cleaning product doesn’t have to come at the expense of efficacy. There are now products on the market that offer a high standard of hygiene, whilst minimising the impact they have on the environment. This extends beyond the raw materials used, to the whole manufacturing and distribution process, and end-use of the product. 

This balance is something that we strive to deliver to our portfolio of clients. From only using ingredients that are safe for people and the environment, to ensuring all our bottles and containers are made from 100% recycled plastic, our OdorBac Tec⁴ product aims to revolutionise the way we clean and maintain our world, safely and ecologically. 

Our solution is 100% biodegradable and our trigger sprays and containers are made from 100% recycled plastic. We have also created an industry-leading closed loop system, which will see the used 100% recycled plastic container returned to the 2Pure factory, washed, refilled and returned to the loop on the next scheduled delivery. 

Keeping customers safe 

One customer that can testify to the potential of Odor Bac Tec⁴ is Care UK, one of the UK’s largest independent care providers. They operate more than 150 homes around the country offering expert residential and nursing care, and are specialists in dementia, respite and end-of-life care. They were one of the first major companies to adopt Odor Bac Tec⁴ and today, every Care UK home uses OdorBac Tec4 as its main cleaning product. 

Previously, in an attempt to tackle these common care home hygiene issues, Care UK’s cleaning operatives were using multiple hygiene products, resulting in multiple costs, risk assessments and training. They wanted to find a better solution and looked for a high-quality, multi-purpose solution that was safe for the environment, in which it would be used. 

Back in 2015, Care UK challenged 2Pure Products’ technology to clean some of its most complex hygiene situations using only OdorBac Tec⁴. The aim was initially to eliminate carpet odours and spot stains from soft surfaces. 

OdorBac Tec⁴ was not only able to remove the most stubborn odours, but it also worked just as well on all other surfaces, allowing Care UK to clean an entire building with just one safe, green cleaning product, while enhancing the environment for residents, staff and visitors alike.

As a result, Care UK rolled out the use of OdorBac Tec⁴ as its sole cleaning solution across all of its care homes in the UK. The product is now used in residents’ rooms, front of house, corridors and communal areas across the portfolio.

To support the use of OdorBac Tec⁴, 2Pure Products have also provided Care UK with a ‘spill book’ initiative. This provides the nurses on the night shift with a bottle of OdorBac Tec⁴ ‘trouble shooter’ spray, and a spill book.  This means that if a spillage occurs during the night when the cleaners are not present, the nursing team can spray the affected area to pre-treat the contamination, and write the incident in the spill book. The homes’ cleaning colleagues can then take it from there in the morning. 

The results 

By investing in one multi-purpose product, Care UK has been able to replace over 90% of existing cleaning products, reducing risk, training requirements and environmental impact, while increasing efficiency, speed and results. 

Since the introduction of OdorBac Tec⁴, progress has consistently improved with residents and their families scoring the cleanliness and odour control of Care UK homes higher and higher in regular independent satisfaction surveys. 

Sustainability was also an important consideration for Care UK when selecting a new cleaning product. Thanks to 2Pure Products’ green commitments, Care UK has saved 3,690 kilograms of C02, and has prevented 2,775 kilograms of virgin plastic being produced, over the past year.

Infection Management 

Now is the time to move away from inefficient cleaning practices and invest in a solution that helps to effectively manages infection control, whilst protecting our people, places and environment. 

James Law is commercial director at 2Pure Products.

For more information visit 2pureproducts.co.uk/