AV equipment has become a prolific way to keep connected in the face of a global pandemic. That certainly doesn't preclude AV equipment from the rapidly evolving cleaning standards to stop the spread of disease. How often does AV equipment need to be cleaned? What cleaning solutions work best? Should your clients purchase equipment that contains an antimicrobial surface? Answers to these questions are especially important in telemedicine, where AV tools can often be used by patients who may have an infectious disease like COVID-19. Read on for some practical advice on cleaning equipment for your clients in the healthcare space and beyond.

How Frequently Should AV Equipment be Cleaned in the Wake of COVID-19?

AV is a broad category of products from ceiling speakers to touchscreens. As you can imagine, frequency of use and interaction become critical components to determining how often a device should be cleaned. Any AV equipment used frequently should be periodically cleaned, especially in the wake of COVID-19, which has been shown to live on surfaces for extended periods of time. If the equipment is used daily, a frequent cleaning and disinfecting regime is a safe idea. If multiple people use the equipment, it should be cleaned and disinfected after every individual use.

This may feel less likely as so many are in isolation at home with their families, however, proper cleaning of laptops, phones, remotes, home control devices, etc. could help stop the spread of illness within a family. Additionally, healthcare environments are flooded with people sharing technology which is clearly where these practices are most critical.

How Should AV Equipment be Cleaned? 

It should come as no surprise that sensitive, often expensive electronics shouldn't be cleaned with everyday household supplies. It’s important to use proper materials to clean your AV equipment, as some disinfectants can harm plastics and electronics. Manufactures will often have their own cleaning guides, typically available on their websites if you no longer have the manuals. But there are also some safe, general steps you can take to clean equipment.

The CDC recommends the use of alcohol-based wipes or sprays containing at least 70% alcohol to disinfect touch screens. You should never spray a solvent of any kind directly on a device. Rather, spraying the disinfectant on a soft, clean cloth will absorb any extra liquid while giving you enough disinfectant to properly clean the machine. Antistatic or microfiber cloths are preferred. This will keep electronics safe while removing any potentially harmful bacteria. For equipment with crevices, make sure you don’t miss any deep corners where bacteria could gather. In general, exercising common sense while cleaning frequently goes a long way to maintaining cleanliness and slowing the spread of disease.

What About Antimicrobial Surfaces? 

Some of your clients may request that their equipment be outfitted with antimicrobial surfaces. Antimicrobial isn’t really a surface at all, it’s actually a coating that’s said to inhibit the growth and spread of germs and bacteria.

The initial thought would be that this would be more important than ever. The reality is that this criteria will A) seriously limit the number of solutions to choose from in a time when supply chain, stock and ability to ship are all questionable and B) the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found “no evidence to suggest antimicrobial coatings offer any enhanced protection from the spread of bacteria and germs.”

All of this is to say that your best bet for keeping AV equipment clean is a simple cleaning regimen to disinfect your equipment, even if it includes an antimicrobial surface. This will keep users safe while preventing the spread of the disease. At the end of the day, it’s what is important to your client that matters most, but you can help them, and others make informed decisions.

At Legrand | AV, we are dedicated to keeping people connected no matter where they are. If you have any video conferencing, live streaming or connectivity questions, our solutions engineers are ready to help. Email us at av.solutions@legrand.com with the details of your project. For more of the latest COVID-19 information, please access the FAQs at www.legrandav.com/COVID.