How Can I Prepare My Facility for Cold and Flu Season?
Cold and flu season can arrive before your facility is ready. Once employees, students, residents, or customers begin getting sick, germs can spread quickly through shared spaces.
Fortunately, a little preparation can make a big difference. The right hand hygiene products, disinfectants, gloves, and paper supplies can help you maintain a cleaner and healthier facility.
Here is what you should have in stock before cold and flu season begins.
Start With Proper Hand Hygiene
Hands can carry germs from one surface to another. Therefore, every facility needs dependable handwashing and sanitizing options.
First, check every soap dispenser in your building. Make sure each dispenser works and has enough product. You should also keep extra soap refills in storage.
Hand sanitizer provides another layer of protection. Place sanitizer near entrances, service counters, breakrooms, classrooms, fitness areas, and other busy locations.
ChemSource Direct carries hand soap, hand sanitizer, and dispenser refills for many types of facilities. We can also help you choose the right dispensing system for your building.
Choose the Right Disinfectant
Cleaning and disinfecting are not the same thing. Cleaning removes dirt and debris from a surface. Disinfecting uses an approved product to kill specific germs listed on its label.
During cold and flu season, focus on frequently touched surfaces such as:
- Door handles
- Light switches
- Desks and counters
- Restroom fixtures
- Breakroom tables
- Shared equipment
- Shopping carts
- Fitness equipment
- Phones and keyboards
Always follow the product label. Pay close attention to dilution instructions, surface compatibility, and contact time. A disinfectant must remain wet for the stated time to work as intended.
ChemSource Direct offers commercial disinfectants, sanitizers, spray products, wipes, and dispensing systems. Our team can help you match the product to your facility and cleaning process.
Keep Disposable Gloves Available
Disposable gloves help protect employees when they handle waste, clean restrooms, or disinfect contaminated surfaces.
However, gloves must be used correctly. Employees should change them between tasks and never treat gloves as a replacement for handwashing.
Keep several boxes available in the sizes your team uses most. Nitrile gloves are a popular choice because they offer strength, comfort, and broad general-purpose use.
Before ordering, review how quickly your staff uses each size. This will help prevent shortages without creating unnecessary inventory.
Stock Wipes, Towels, and Tissues
Cleaning chemicals cannot do the entire job alone. Your staff also needs the right supplies to apply products and remove soil.
Disinfecting wipes offer a convenient option for quick cleaning between regular service times. Microfiber cloths, disposable towels, spray bottles, and trigger sprayers also support daily cleaning.
In addition, keep paper towels and facial tissues well stocked. Empty dispensers create frustration and can encourage poor hygiene habits.
Check these supplies throughout the building instead of focusing only on the main restroom or supply closet.
Review Your Supply Levels Before Illness Spreads
Waiting until cold and flu activity increases can leave your facility short on important products.
Review your current inventory and estimate how long it will last. Then, identify the items that your facility cannot operate without.
Your cold and flu season supply list may include:
- Hand soap and refills
- Hand sanitizer
- Surface disinfectants
- Disinfecting wipes
- Disposable nitrile gloves
- Facial tissue
- Paper towels
- Spray bottles and trigger sprayers
- Microfiber cloths
- Trash liners
Also, inspect your dispensers and cleaning equipment. A broken dispenser or sprayer can slow down your entire cleaning program.
Train Employees on Product Use
The right products only work when employees use them correctly.
Make sure your team understands where each chemical should be used. Employees should also know the correct dilution ratio and required contact time.
Avoid mixing chemicals or pouring products into unmarked bottles. Every secondary container should have the proper label.
Simple training can reduce product waste, improve cleaning results, and help protect your staff.
Build a Cold and Flu Cleaning Plan
A good plan should identify the surfaces that need extra attention and how often employees should clean them.
High-touch areas may need service several times each day. Lower-touch areas may only require attention during the regular cleaning schedule.
Assign responsibilities so employees know who handles each area. You should also create a simple process for reporting empty dispensers, damaged equipment, or low supplies.
This approach works well for schools, gyms, churches, offices, healthcare buildings, nursing facilities, and commercial cleaning companies.
Let ChemSource Direct Help You Prepare
Cold and flu season should not catch your facility off guard.
ChemSource Direct supplies commercial hand sanitizer, soap, disinfectants, gloves, wipes, paper products, dispensers, and other janitorial essentials. Our team can help you select products that fit your facility, cleaning program, and budget.
Visit our Kernersville store, call 336-515-9990, or shop online at ChemSourceEquipment.com. Prepare now so your team has the products it needs when cold and flu season arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cleaning supplies should I stock for cold and flu season?
Start with hand soap, sanitizer, disinfectants, wipes, gloves, paper towels, tissues, spray bottles, and trash liners. Your exact supply list will depend on your facility and cleaning schedule.
What is the difference between cleaning and disinfecting?
Cleaning removes dirt and debris. Disinfecting uses an approved chemical product to kill specific germs listed on the label. You may need to clean a visibly dirty surface before disinfecting it.
How often should high-touch surfaces be disinfected?
The schedule depends on how many people use the area. Busy facilities may need to address high-touch surfaces several times each day. Always follow the disinfectant label and your facility’s cleaning policy.
How long should disinfectant remain on a surface?
Follow the contact time listed on the product label. The surface usually needs to remain visibly wet for that full period.
Can ChemSource Direct help me choose the right products?
Yes. ChemSource Direct can help evaluate your facility’s needs and recommend appropriate chemicals, gloves, paper products, dispensers, and cleaning supplies.