Despite the pandemic, many operators in 24/7 mission critical centers are considered essential employees who are still working in person through the pandemic. Given this situation, sanitation has become more important than ever.
At Constant, our top priority at this time is to offer as much support as possible, and that includes doing what we can to pass on information on how to keep safe from the transmission of COVID-19.
Among other disease prevention guidelines, the CDC stresses the importance of frequently sanitizing “high touch” surfaces. Many of our clients have reached out asking for advice on the proper way to clean operations center consoles. While we manufacture our consoles to withstand the rigors of round-the-clock use, there are certain products and techniques that we recommend as best practices.
Laminate Care Tips
To sanitize the surface of your operations center console, use a damp cloth or sponge and a mild soap or detergent. Some recommended cleaners include Clorox, Windex, Pledge, Lysol, and Dawn, among others. Since keeping operators healthy is of the utmost importance at this time, we recommend using cleaning products with an emphasis on antibacterial and germ-killing properties, as opposed to some of the gentler options like dish soap.
In addition to needing to clean frequently to maintain operator health, you may encounter other day-to-day cleaning challenges as well. Difficult stains such as coffee or tea can be removed using a mild household cleaner and baking soda mixed to the consistency of a paste and scrubbed gently with a stiff nylon bristle brush. When scrubbing it’s important to avoid scratching or otherwise marring the surface.
Prolonged exposure to bleach will cause discoloration of the laminate surface. Perhaps the most important tip: always rinse laminate surfaces after cleaning! Failure to rinse after cleaning can cause damage, even only if a small amount of cleaning solution remains on the surface. With increased frequency of cleaning due to the pandemic, this is a step that could easily be forgotten. To maintain the color of your laminate, be sure to rinse every time you finish cleaning.
Cleaning Practices to Avoid
Acidic or abrasive cleaners can damage laminate surfaces. Cleaning ingredients that can harm the surface of your console’s laminate include hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid, phosphoric acid, sodium hydroxide, and pumice. Avoid products with these ingredients when sanitizing your operations center furniture.
If you spill anything containing these ingredients on the surface of the laminate, wipe it up immediately and rinse several times with water.
Antimicrobial Laminate: What is It?
As the pandemic continues, we continue to look for additional ways we can continue to help our clients stay safe and healthy. One initiative is to use antimicrobial surfaces for our consoles.
Antimicrobial is a word that is used often, but seldom defined. What exactly does it mean? Products defined as antimicrobial neutralize or slow the spread of microorganisms, which can include bacteria and viruses as well as mold and mildew.
Our laminate partners such as Formica and WilsonArt offer a range of antimicrobial laminates that we can use for the manufacture of your operations center consoles. Using these antimicrobial laminates will reduce the count of microbes on high-touch surfaces, helping keep your operators healthy.
If you would like more information about cleaning your console surfaces or have an operations center project in mind, please contact us today.
About Constant:
Constant Technologies, Inc. provides AV integration for 24/7 video walls and custom operation center furniture. With 30+ years of experience, we can work with sensitive environments in the public and private sectors. Constant designs and installs projects of all scopes and sizes around the world. We also offer long-term service and support. We create solutions with the highest levels of security, aesthetics and functionality in mind.
