Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Intercom
Being something that is often touched, it is imperative your intercom stations are regularly cleaned and disinfected. With today’s technologies, however, that can be tricky. How often should you clean? What is the best process to clean your stations to ensure they are not damaged? What’s the best cleaner to use that won’t affect the intercom body, touchscreen or lens?
Cleaning vs. Disinfecting – Equally Important
Cleaning and disinfecting are two different things and should be handled separately. Cleaning is the process of removing dirt, dust, grease, oils, and other contaminants. Disinfecting is a separate process that uses a chemical designed to destroy bacteria. The trick is to be sure your station is first cleaned, otherwise disinfecting will not be as effective.
How Often Should You Clean and Disinfect?
The frequency to clean and disinfect your intercom stations vary based on their usage. For typical use, Aiphone recommends control devices be cleaned and sanitized before an individual uses them. We suggest public–accessed units be regularly cleaned and disinfected throughout the day, and users wash and sanitize their hands after each interaction. It is up to you to determine this frequency based on the intercom’s use.
The Process is as Important as the Product!
When cleaning and disinfecting an Aiphone intercom, these processes should be followed to ensure your intercom is not impacted or damaged.
Cleaning Your Intercom
- To prepare for cleaning the intercom, power down the device.
- Do not get liquids inside the unit. Do not directly spray cleaning product on the unit. Instead, use wet wipes, a sprayed cloth, or a dampened cloth with the excess moisture squeezed off.
- Select only non-abrasive cleaning wipes or cloths to avoid scratching lenses and touchscreens.
- Avoid highly concentrated alcohol (> 70%), non-diluted bleach, or ammonia solutions, as these may cause discoloration or fogging.
- Wipe the surfaces with the appropriate wipes or cloths and approved cleaning products and allow them to dry.
Disinfecting Your Intercom
- To prepare for disinfecting the intercom, power down the device.
- Dampen a new clean, non-abrasive cloth with a disinfectant chosen from the list below. Ensure excess liquid is squeezed from the cloth. You may also use recommended pre-dampened wipes. Do not get liquids inside the unit. Do not directly spray cleaning product on the unit.
- Read the instructions provided with your intercom carefully. Many may require the surface to remain wet for a few minutes, so continuous wiping might be required.
- Disinfect the surfaces by wiping with the cloth, or wipe and allow the surface to dry.
- For disinfectant solutions that are safe for use with touchscreens, see the next section.
What cleaner and disinfectant can I use that are effective and safe?
Prior to disinfecting, a standard household cleaner and a non-abrasive cloth can be used to clean most intercom surfaces. Care should be taken to follow the instructions provided with the individual unit to ensure cleaners will not cause discoloration, cracking, or lens fogging. Aiphone recommends using environmentally–friendly cleaners. After cleaning, the unit may be disinfected using any of the following EPA–recommended products, which are also safe for touchscreens
- Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
- Clorox Healthcare Bleach Germicidal Wipes
- Clorox Commercial Solutions Hydrogen Peroxide Cleaner Disinfectant Wipes
- Lonza Disinfectant Wipes
- Lysol Brand Clean & Fresh Multi Surface Cleaner (20% cleaner solution to water ratio)
- Purell Professional Surface Disinfectant Wipes
- Sani-Cloth Prime Germicidal Disposable Wipes
Do NOT use the following materials when cleaning/disinfecting
- Isopropyl Alcohol at concentration > 70%
- Methyl Alcohol or Ethyl Alcohol at concentration > 35%
- Thinner or benzine
- Strong alkalilyes
- Strong solvents
- Acids
- Detergents with fluoride
- Detergents with abrasives
- Ammonia at Detergents with concentration > 1.6%
- Abrasive cleaners
- Abrasive sponges
- Steel blades
- Cloth with steel threads
Want more Information?
Take a look at this infographic we designed to explain how best to clean and disinfect your Aiphone intercom.
More information from the Center of Disease Control (CDC) on disinfecting procedures for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
More information from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on recommended disinfectants for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) can be found here: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
