Frequently Asked Questions

Compare methods side by side.

There are many different ways to evaluate cleanliness and each comes with pros and cons. Visual inspection is quickly being replaced by quantifiable, objective methods upon the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Management needs reliable data collection and objective measurement techniques to truly know if a surface is clean. A simple method, like blacklight detection of fluorescent gels, is an excellent training tool but fails to measure the actual removal of biological matter. Another technique is microbiology testing; microbiology tests give the most quantitative, specific results for pathogens or bacteria on a surface, but results are slow and tests are expensive. Housekeeping and facilities managers need quick results to verify cleaning quickly and collect quantifiable data for meaningful analysis. Refer to the table below to see how the various methods compare across desirable attributes.