Staph and the surfaces around it
Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacterium, and many people carry it without illness. When it causes a skin infection, wound drainage and shared personal items can carry it to surfaces, towels and bedding in the home or locker room.
Many EPA-registered disinfectants list Staphylococcus aureus on their labels. When the strain is MRSA, we choose from EPA's List H instead. Either way, the label determines how the product is applied and how long the surface stays wet.
A room-by-room approach
We start with a short walkthrough and organize the visit by room rather than by product, so nothing gets missed. Afterward you can have a written list of the rooms covered.
- Bedroom Bed rails, nightstands, lamp switches and the mattress cover are cleaned and disinfected; linens are bagged for hot laundering.
- Bathroom Sinks, counters, faucets, shower walls, tub edges and towel bars get attention, along with any shaving or grooming areas.
- Living areas Remote controls, phone cases, chair arms and frequently used furniture are cleaned, and upholstery is treated only with soft-surface labeled products.
- Laundry We help separate items used by the person with the infection and bag them for washing per care labels.
- Shared equipment Athletic gear, mats and fitness equipment are disinfected with products their manufacturers allow.
Disinfection methods we prefer
Staph cleanup is mostly hands-on work. We wipe and scrub surfaces so that sweat, skin oils and soil are removed before any disinfectant goes on. Spraying alone tends to miss the undersides of handles, the edges of benches and the textured grips on equipment.
We apply the disinfectant with cloths or low-pressure sprayers and watch for surfaces that dry too quickly, re-wetting them if needed to complete the label contact time. Where a label requires a rinse, such as on surfaces that contact food or skin, we follow it.
On upholstered furniture, we only use products whose labels permit soft-surface use. If no suitable product covers a material, we say so and discuss laundering, steam cleaning or removal instead.
Soft goods deserve a decision
Pillows, upholstered cushions and older mattresses without covers can hold drainage in ways a surface wipe does not reach. Some can be laundered or treated; others are better removed. We explain the reasoning and let you make the call before anything leaves the home.
Items soiled with wound drainage are bagged and disposed of appropriately. Used bandages should go into a sealed bag before the trash.
Whatever you decide, we bag removed items in the room and carry them out sealed, so nothing is dragged through the rest of the house.
Helpful steps before our visit
Keep towels, razors and washcloths separate for the person with the infection, and wash their linens apart from the household's. Wear disposable gloves when handling soiled dressings, and wash your hands with soap and water afterward.
Wound care, antibiotics and questions about contagion belong with the person's healthcare provider. Our role is the environment, not the infection itself.
When a staph case becomes a facility issue
Dorms, group homes, shelters, gyms, rental properties and athletic programs sometimes see more than one case. Facilities should involve their health staff or the health department in those decisions. We can clean and disinfect shared areas on a schedule that fits around residents or practice times.
See MRSA decontamination for the antibiotic-resistant strain, or our school and university service for campus settings. We work throughout Middle Tennessee.