CLEANING RECOMMENDATIONS
Cleaning and maintaining stringent hygiene levels has never been more important in the wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic.
No matter whether simply cleaning to remove dust, dirt and stains or disinfecting to remove germs and bacteria – regular cleaning plays a crucial part in reducing the spread of the virus. It is important to note that while woven textile surface finishes to walls and floors are not considered significant areas of risk, the correct cleaning methods should still be implemented to minimise risk and maintain clean and healthy environments for all. IAC Acoustics Audiology Test Facilities typically contain both textile and hard surface finishes.
In alignment with NHS and Government policy, IAC Acoustics advises all users should wear a mask and wash their hands before entering one of our audiology rooms, as this still remains the best way to prevent personal infection from an infected surface.
Please note, our recommendations do not guarantee the safety of patients nor should they replace existing infection control procedures.
Cleaning Information
Regular and thorough vacuum cleaning will prolong the life of the carpet considerably.
If the carpet has become very dirty it may be given a light refresh with specialist carpet shampoo, following the specific products directions for use.
On extremely dirty carpets, we recommend that you call upon a specialist carpet cleaner with professional equipment.
To ensure continuing performance, the panels should be visually inspected at least once a year to verify that:
• Front face of panels are clean
• Fixings are in place
• The holes in the perforated material are open and free of dust or other foreign matter.
In the event that debris must be cleaned from the airspaces or the perforated metal, the acoustic panel should be vacuum cleaned or wiped clean with a cloth dampened in a mild detergent solution.
Clean glass and surrounding aluminium frame at regular intervals. Clean using soft cloth and dedicated glass cleaner.
In case of glass breakage or replacement required please contact IAC Acoustics for further advice and replacement services.
Free Standing Single Occupancy Booths
Audiology booths should be thoroughly cleaned in between each patient encounter. All surfaces internally and externally should be wiped down with an acceptable disinfectant. Equipment should be cleaned as per your existing infection control procedures.
Typically, these booths have a small fan built into the roof to draw air from the host space. The quality and cleanliness of the air in the host room determines any potential for airborne infection transfer. Assuming this is properly addressed in the main ventilation system, we would recommend leaving the booth door open between patients.
Medium Sized Booths
Larger Audiology booths should be cleaned between each patient encounter. All surfaces both internally and externally should be wiped down with disinfectant. The equipment should be cleaned as per your existing infection control procedures.
Larger booths might well be connected to a main ventilation system that serves other parts of the Hospital. In this case we would recommend leaving the booth empty with the door closed for at least 10 minutes between each patient to allow for one full cycle of air exchange.
Fabric Lined Rooms and Pediatric Rooms
Please do not attempt to steam clean the fabric lining, we would instead advise that patients are discouraged from touching the walls. If a patient were to touch the walls, we would recommend they wash their hands or sanitize with gel. Fabric walls can be sprayed with disinfectant, but this should be done from a distance to avoid soaking the lining. All hard surfaces should be wiped down as with antibacterial wipes,
Carpets within all IAC test rooms should be vacuumed and disinfected as part of the prescribed hospital cleaning plan.
Large pediatric rooms should be left empty with the door closed for at least 15 minutes to allow for one full cycle of air exchange between user appointments.
General Awareness
In addition to the recommending cleaning and disinfection protocols for IAC Acoustics Audiology booths and rooms, you should also recognise there are a wide variety of touch points in the room and general testing environment. These include items such as door handles, chairs, tables, light switches and electrical test equipment. Wiping down of these items with antibacterial wipes, regular handwashing and use of antibacterial hand gel as part of routine best practice is strongly recommended.
If you have an aged audiology test room that may need refurbishment, we would be happy to discuss and propose a solution to refresh your testing environment. Additionally we have a new range of antibacterial wall and ceiling finishes available to consider, for the enhancement of your facilities and user safety.