Routine environmental decontamination

Hospital setting

Patient isolation/cohort rooms/area should be decontaminated at least daily, this may be further increased on the advice of IPCTs/HPTs. These areas should be decontaminated using either:

• A detergent followed by a disinfectant solution

or

• A combination product

Manufacturer’s instructions should always be followed regarding preparation and use of a detergent, disinfectant or combination products.

Increased frequency of decontamination/cleaning schedules should be incorporated into the environmental decontamination schedules for areas where there may be higher environmental contamination rates, for example 

• toilets/commodes particularly if patients have diarrhoea
• “frequently touched” surfaces such as door/toilet handles and locker tops, over bed tables and bed rails

Patient rooms must be terminally cleaned following resolution of symptoms, discharge or transfer. This includes removal and laundering of all curtains and bed screens.

Vacated rooms should also be decontaminated following an AGP.

Primary care/out-patient settings

The extent of decontamination between patients will depend on the duration of the consultation/assessment, the patients presenting symptoms and any visible environmental contamination. 

Equipment used for environmental decontamination must be either single-use or dedicated to the affected area then decontaminated or disposed of following use for example cloths, mop heads.

Terminal decontamination

Following patient transfer, discharge, or once the patient is no longer considered infectious.

Remove from the vacated isolation room/cohort area, all:

• healthcare waste and any other disposable items (bagged before removal from the room)
• bedding/bed screens/curtains and manage as infectious linen (bagged before removal from the room)
• non-invasive, reusable, Care Equipment should be decontaminated prior to removal from the area

The room should be decontaminated using either:

• A detergent followed by a disinfectant solution

or

• A combination product

The room should be cleaned from the highest to lowest point and from the least to most contaminated point.

Manufacturer’s instructions should always be followed regarding preparation and use of detergent, disinfectant or combination products.

Unless instructed otherwise by the IPCT there is no requirement for terminal decontamination of an outpatient area or theatre recovery.

Note: Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) and Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service adopt practices that differ from those stated in the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual.