Guide to sensible disinfection – Expert advice on washing floors with microfiber cloths and water
In 2025, controlling infectious risks will no longer necessarily mean systematically disinfecting surfaces. CSR issues are now prompting establishments to rethink their methods and products in order to reduce the environmental impact of bio-cleaning without affecting the health of users. Limiting unnecessary exposure to chemicals improves the quality of care for patients and residents without increasing the risk of contamination.
When should you consider washing floors with water instead of detergent or disinfectant?
According to Onet health experts Maëva Volpi, and hygienists Emilie Joigneaux and Sylvie Besin, it's all about assessing the risk of contamination from a surface to an individual.
In this case, studies have shown that floors are not vectors of cross-contamination, unlike hand-held surfaces (elevator buttons, switches, handrails, etc.). Disinfecting floors does not therefore systematically reduce the risk of infection: everything depends on the area and the environment.
But is it effective?
To clean and remove visible stains, microfiber and water give excellent results. What's more, using water on floors instead of chemical products prevents the formation of a chemical film: a sticky layer that traps dirt. This is because repeated use of detergents and disinfectants without rinsing causes products to build up on the surface.
Microfibre's mechanical action captures and retains dirt and micro-organisms, preventing soiling of floors. No more product build-up without rinsing, fewer environmental reservoirs for micro-organisms. But also, cleaner floors that last longer and become dirty less quickly.
Optimizing mechanical action
Micro-organism capture
Elimination
Avoidance of recontamination
This method is generally used for low-risk areas (reception areas, administrative offices, corridors, etc.) where the risk of contamination via the floor is very limited, provided that the following conditions are met:
- Perfect mastery of the pre-impregnation method to ensure the "native" mechanical action of the fiber
- Flawless linen treatment that eliminates and destroys micro-organisms picked up during flat washing: disinfectant washing followed by complete drying with no residual moisture. This treatment must be accompanied by secure storage.
What guidelines and recommendations should you follow?
Operational hygiene teams (EOH) rely on the recommendations of hospital hygiene bodies and health authorities: SF2H, HAS, ARS, CPias, Répia, etc. It is up to each EOH to define whether the use of these disinfectant-free textiles is sufficient to control the infectious risk specific to each establishment: type of activities and care, specific issues, high-risk areas, etc.
The introduction of alternative methods by service companies must be validated by the EOH, and translated into protocols and operating procedures.
Some microfibres have been tested to EN 16615.
Can you rely on them?
EN 16615 is a standard for testing a wipe-disinfectant pair. Wet wiping with microfiber and water does not fall within the scope of this standard: neither wipe, nor disinfectant. However, manufacturers have used this standard to convince EOH of the ability of textiles to remove micro-organisms. More precisely, of the ability of the headband to reduce the defined load on a surface after a standardized pass.
It's a performance indicator that demonstrates the microfiber's efficiency: from its cleaning capacity to its ability to capture micro-organisms.
Introduction to theoretical concepts in the field: Testimonial from Yolène Rousseau, Consultant Hygienist and Trainer.
In 2018, following training on eco-cleaning provided by Dr. Carenco, Yolène Rousseau, then a hygiene manager at five private healthcare facilities, decided to implement the approach within her scope of responsibility.
I quickly applied this chemical-free method in an addiction treatment center in order to limit the use of chemicals in a sector where patients participate in the maintenance of the premises. Initially, healthcare managers and senior management found it hard to believe that floors could be cleaned effectively using only microfiber cloths and water. However, the results quickly proved convincing: visually clean floors, no unusual odors, no sticky residue, etc. All the teams finally approved this new practice. I then continued this approach by introducing the use of steam in the operating room for bio-cleaning at the end of procedures. The cleaning company in place at the time was reluctant, due to a lack of sufficient feedback, but the results were clear: successful implementation, microbiological compliance, and rooms that were clean and thoroughly disinfected thanks to steam. These two developments were key steps in demonstrating the relevance of credible alternatives to chemicals, while still complying with best practice recommendations. Seven years later, although there is still progress to be made, the momentum is real and encouraging. Beyond the points discussed above, field deployment highlights two other areas for attention: • Effective dust removal must be carried out before washing to avoid saturating the water-impregnated microfiber pad. • The pre-impregnation must be correctly dosed, using only the necessary amount, to avoid over-moistening the floor and to preserve the natural detergent effectiveness of the microfiber.
We talk about washing floors with water, but what about wiping contact points with a simple microfiber cloth?
While floors pose a limited risk, the same cannot be said for high surfaces. 80% of transmissions come from hand-borne contamination.
Everyone knows that the floor is dirty—that's a fact. However, invisible dirt on high surfaces is often overlooked! As a result, people are less vigilant when touching high surfaces with their hands than when touching the floor.
To combat this route of contamination, two main measures are implemented: ensuring hand hygiene at the right time and in the right place, and guaranteeing the microbiological cleanliness of surfaces that come into contact with hands.
Shared" contact points such as switches, handles, handrails, armrests, reception desks or tables continue to be disinfected on a regular basis. This measure, combined with rigorous hand hygiene, remains essential to reduce and control the risk of cross-contamination in the healthcare environment.
Selective, reasoned use of disinfectants to limit their use.
Conclusion
The microfiber and water method is now recommended for floors in risk zones 1 to 3, depending on the challenges and recommendations of each healthcare facility, such as medical-social facilities. Disinfecting high surfaces remains the general rule in order to ensure microbiological cleanliness in the healthcare environment.
Each EOH defines its own prevention policy according to the type of care provided and the specific challenges faced by the facility. Any alternative methods proposed by service providers must be validated and included in official protocols, validated by the facility's hygiene team and the department responsible for contracts.
Rethinking disinfection does not mean lowering our guard: it means combining patient safety, staff health, and respect for the environment. The tailor-made solutions provided by Onet's experts are always based on the recommendations of hospital hygiene authorities and draw on the knowledge, expertise, and discussions gathered at conferences and specialized study days.
Reference documents: Guide de l'éco nettoyage / Avis de la SF2H / Guide de l'entretien des locaux
- ARS : Regional Health Agency
- CPias: Centre d'appui pour la prévention des infections associées aux soins (Support center for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections)
- EOH: Equipe Opérationnelle d'Hygiène (Operational Hygiene Team)
- HAS: Haute Autorité de Santé
- RéPia: Réseau de Prévention des infections et de l'antibiorésistance (Infection and antibiotic resistance prevention network)
- SF2H: French Hospital Hygiene Society
[Customer case] The AHNAC group and Onet opt for microfiber and water-based floor cleaning
A practice that has already been in place for several years at AHNAC (Association Hospitalière Nord Artois Cliniques), reasoned disinfection aims to improve service quality while reducing environmental impact, in line with Onet's CSR policy and official recommendations on cleaning with water.
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