The pandemic has led to a keen awareness of flight safety and cleanliness more than ever before. Today, travelers are considering flying again after the pandemic, but they are not overlooking the disinfection procedures of the airlines. The commercial airline must step up their cleaning checklist and take advantage of layovers to clean the aircraft and make it healthy and safe for the next boarding passengers.
Cleaning Checklist
It is essential for a commercial airline not to skip the aircraft cleaning process. The cleaning checklist is a good place to start with. Here are some checklist items to include for the lavatories:
- Emptying the trash cans frequently and replacing the trash bags.
- Cleaning the toilet bowl and seat.
- Ensuring that the faucets, basin, and other surfaces are kept clean.
- Cleaning the mirror and the changing table.
- Cleaning the exterior and interior door handles, locks, and wall surfaces
- Cleaning the PVC floors
- Refilling the soap dispenser
- Replenishing the toiletry items.
Besides this, aircraft upholstery, too, should be cleaned and disinfected now and then for a safe journey of the passengers. When it comes to cleaning their upholstery, merely deep cleaning is not enough. They should also be sanitized properly to keep away the build-up of germs, mold, mildew, and other substances.
Here is everything to know about cleaning the aircraft upholstery:
Cleaning the Upholstery
Cleaning the aircraft upholstery is about removing dirt, dust, debris, and other elements from the surface and between the seats. Many modes like dusting, sweeping, and washing are used in the cleaning process.
Regular cleaning and maintenance kills germs and bacteria, thus reducing their transmission risk. Cleaning also keeps the aircraft seats neat and in good shape.
Sanitizing the Upholstery
Sanitizing is performed after cleaning. In some cases, it can also be interchanged with disinfecting. Sanitization of the seats is essential to decrease the amounts of germs and bacteria to a safe level as judged by public health standards.
Disinfecting the Upholstery
Disinfecting the aircraft upholstery constitutes an essential part of the cleaning process. It is often touted as the most heavy-duty method of cleaning. The process destroys the germs and bacteria actively using specific chemicals. Under the disinfection process, the bacteria are not removed from the surface of the seat but killed, thus lowering the risk of spreading infection between the passengers.
It is recommended to use EPA-approved products to disinfect the surface of the upholstery. These products kill all the germs and viruses, serving as an effective disinfectant for aircraft and other commercial spaces.
Steam Heat Extracting the Upholstery
Cleaning the aircraft upholstery also includes steam heat extraction. Steam and heat extraction ensures that no dust particles rest on the carpet of the aircraft, thus giving it a thorough cleaning.
The process begins by vacuuming the area thoroughly and then heating the water and mixing it with a cleaning solution. The mixture is then injected into the upholstered fabric with a special hot water extraction cleaning machine or a steam machine. The role of this machine is to extract the water and solution from the porous material so that it can dry quickly.
Other Things to Check
Cleanliness may be next to godliness as you fly through the heavens, but it’s not the only thing you need to check on your aircraft. Simple things like checking the engine oil is vital, and whilst replenishing aviation oil isn’t quite like filling your car up, it’s easy enough to check when you know how. Make sure to check the engine oil before taking off, and check these things too:
- Use distinct cleaning tools to avoid cross-contamination.
- Avoid damaging the components of the aircraft by rubbing or wetting the surfaces for more than the dwell time recommended on the product label.
- Remove disinfectant residue left on the seat covers and other surfaces.
- Clean and disinfect all the other important locations like the galley, aisles, flight crew compartment, and cabins.
Takeaway
Preparing a commercial aircraft for the busy flying season and post-Covid travel is no longer a chore. Save yourself a headache and ensure safe flying for all.
