Cleaning and maintenance guidelines (Kvadrat)

In the wake of COVID19, there is a perception that tactile, natural and porous materials like wood and fabrics are somehow less safe than hard, wipe-clean surfaces like plastic, glass and metal. However, the evidence simply doesn’t bear this out.

In early 2020, the onset of a global pandemic turned our lives upside down. Many people left their places of work and are only just starting to return now as, country by country, the world begins to open up again. Even as more flexible working practices emerge, workplaces remain important hubs for culture, collaboration and connection. As companies ready themselves for their employees’ return, health and safety concerns are high on the agenda – and rightly so. Social distancing and good hygiene practices are part of our new normal.

While epidemiologists have found that the risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus from textiles is very low, we want to provide reassurance, separate the fact from the fiction and reiterate our basic care and cleaning guidelines, to help you care for your Kvadrat fabrics and enable them to contribute to a welcoming and healthy environment to which your team can return. The mental health and wellbeing benefits of a tactile working environment rich with natural materials are well known. We want to provide the information you need to continue so you can continue to use Kvadrat fabrics with confidence.

Surface contact

The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that the spread of COVID-19 happens most commonly through airborne respiratory droplets (which is why face masks are the first line of defence). Once a virus lands on a surface, its efficacy immediately starts to decline. Within 24-48 hours, the majority of viruses have lost all infectious properties, and within a few days, they have dissipated altogether.

There is no evidence that COVID-19 is spread through surface contact alone. Even while the virus is active, you cannot become infected simply by touching objects contaminated with the virus that causes it – infection requires the virus to come into contact with mucous membranes in the mouth, nose or eyes within that same period of time. It is therefore perfectly safe to touch any surface as long as you wash your hands before you touch your face.

In fact, WHO guidance suggests that the most important things you can do to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 are: keeping your distance, washing your hands regularly, making sure your surroundings are clean and following government guidelines.

While it seems simple, regularly washing your hands with soap and water is the most important action you can take to stay safe. The virus that causes COVID-19 is what is called an ‘enveloped virus’ which means it has a ‘lipophilic’ fatty outer layer – and it needs this to survive. Washing your hands breaks down this layer, killing the virus. Basic hygiene at work is now more important than ever.

Soft vs. hard surfaces

It’s important to remember that COVID-19 is caused by a virus, not by bacteria. Unlike bacteria and other microbes such as fungi which can grow and multiply on non-biological surfaces, viruses lack the capacity to thrive and reproduce outside of a host body. They start to decline very quickly once they are out in the open.

How long viruses can survive depends on a number of factors including temperature, humidity and the surface they land on. Contrary to what you might expect, medical journal The Lancet found that the survival time of the virus that causes COVID-19 was shortest on porous surfaces such as wood and cloth (two days in dry indoor conditions) and longer on smooth surfaces (four days for glass and banknotes and seven days on stainless steel and plastic).

The infectious portion of this lifespan is shorter again and research shows that porous surfaces with spaces in their construction, such as fabric, trap the virus preventing its transfer during the short window of time for which it is infectious. Textiles are therefore unlikely to be major carriers of the COVID-19.

Frequently touched surfaces such as handles, handrails, push-buttons and armrests as well as hard materials such as plastics, laminates, metal and glass pose a higher risk, because the virus will sit on their surfaces for long enough to be touched again and transferred via mucous membranes to another host, where it can survive. Disinfecting such surfaces with 62-71% ethanol, 0.5% hydrogen peroxide or 0.1% sodium hypochlorite will remove the virus within just one minute.

While textiles don’t pose a serious threat, we have updated our cleaning and maintenance guidelines in order to provide reassurance and mitigate the limited risk that workplace fabrics might represent.

Cleaning Kvadrat textiles

 It is important to distinguish between cleaning and disinfecting – cleaning is the process of removing soil such as dust and dirt and is an important part of any good hygiene practices because dirt provides food for bacteria. Even under normal circumstances, it is important to keep your Kvadrat textiles clean – it helps to maintain their appearance and prolong their life.

Cleaning methods might include vacuuming, treating stains with upholstery shampoo or liquid soap and warm water or periodic deep cleaning according to specific fabric guidelines.

Woollen fibres are naturally water and soil resistant, with a surface layer that is less attractive for microorganisms, such as mould, mildew, bacteria and viruses. Wool is often reported to have anti-microbial properties, due to the lanolin content which protects the sheep’s skin from infection, however most of the lanolin is removed in processing.The impact of wool’s water resistance and any remaining lanolin on COVID-19 are, as yet, undocumented. Kvadrat has initiated independent research in collaboration with external partners and we will update and reissue these guidelines when that research is complete. In the meantime, it is important to keep wool dry to protect its surface layer.

Other materials that are less prone to surface microbial growth are polyester, polypropylene and poly-acrylics. For example, Trevira CS textiles can reduce the presence of bacteria by more than 20% without any treatment. They are hydrophobic, meaning they repel water, and are therefore provide an unsympathetic environment to micro-organisms which need water to survive.

Disinfecting Kvadrat textiles

Disinfection is the process of killing or rendering ineffective a high proportion of germs – micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi – which can cause infection and spread disease. Under current circumstances – despite the low risk of contracting COVID-19 from fabrics – we have extended our disinfection guidance.

Studies show that COVID-19 only remains viable on textiles for approximately 24-48 hours. In case of a suspected contamination, we recommend you follow local government guidelines, disinfect the fabric and/or simply choose not to use the furniture for 48 hours, after which time the virus will have dissipated.

Before disinfecting any textile, it should be thoroughly cleaned to remove any surface dirt. We then recommend the following procedures to disinfect Kvadrat textiles:

Polyester and Trevira CS

• Ethanol-based disinfectants can be used without damaging the textile or changing its colour. Concentration should be between 70-85%.
• Chlorine-based detergents can be used without damaging the textile or changing its colour. Concentration should be 1000-1200 ppm.
• Bleach disinfectants can be used without damaging the textile or changing its colour. Use a 5% bleach concentration, mix one part bleach to 10 parts water.
• Upholstery textiles made out of polyester and Trevira CS can be washed in temperatures up to 80 degrees Celsius. Polyester and Trevira CS Curtain textiles can be washed in temperatures up to 60 degrees Celsius.
• Keep your fabrics as dry as possible, both during use and after washing to prevent bacteria development.

Wool

• For woollen textiles we recommend dry cleaning or professional cleaning.
• Ethanol-based disinfectants can be used without damaging the textile or changing its colour. Concentration should be between 70-85%.
• Avoid chlorine-based and bleach cleaning agents.
• We do not recommend washing woollen textiles.

Anti-microbial treatments

Anti-microbial treatments can either be used topically to treat existing fabrics or added during fabric production to create so called ‘anti-microbial fabrics’. Historically, both methods have been used to prevent the growth of bacteria and subsequent odour, discolouration or degradation of the fabric. Anti-microbial additives have been shown to inhibit the growth of bacteria in a laboratory setting, but a thorough review of the scientific literature reveals no evidence that textiles containing anti-microbials prevent the spread of viruses, or even the specific bacteria that cause other types of human illness. There is no evidence that anti-microbial treatments, either topical or embedded, can help to prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

In addition, there are growing concerns about the harmful effects of anti-microbial treatments to both people and planet. The heavy metals they often contain are increasingly believed to be endocrine disruptors that mimic human hormones and therefore disrupt the normal function of the human body. Silver ions, commonly found in anti-microbial treatments, are also suspected to be toxic to both human and aquatic cells, as well as the wider environment, and many worldwide authorities, including the Danish State Serum Institute (SSI), advise against their use.

Other concerns about anti-microbial treatments include the fact that they target so-called ‘good bacteria’ that are vital to the natural environment as well as ‘bad bacteria’ and that a constant flow of anti-microbials into the environment could contribute to antibiotic resistance.

Finally, any effect they do have only lasts for 60-90 days, and so they require constant reapplication. Their use may create a false sense of security, resulting in lapses in the health and hygiene protocols such as hand washing that are far more effective in preventing the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

The health and safety of people and the protection of our environment are of paramount importance at Kvadrat. Due to the lack of evidence of the effectiveness of standard antimicrobial treatments, combined with the potential for harm to both the environment and human life, Kvadrat has decided not to use any antimicrobials, until safe, evidence-based solutions are available. There is mounting research into antimicrobial and anti-viral alternatives that are effective, safe to use and environmentally friendly and Kvadrat is following these developments very closely. As soon as an evidence-based solution becomes available, we will update our policies and advice accordingly.

Wellbeing

In the maelstrom of a global health crisis, it is important not to neglect mental health and wellbeing. Natural materials, such as wood and wool, not only offer the lowest survival time for the virus that causes COVID-19, but they can help improve cognitive performance, creativity and mood. The tactility of such materials is important too, especially in increasingly screen-based workplaces. Stimulating our sense of touch makes us feel more connected, trusting and generous – all important factors as employers seek to redefine the office as a centre for culture and collaboration.

Don’t hesitate to contact us

If you are in any doubt about how to treat your Kvadrat textiles or have any other concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your local Kvadrat office. You can also find our cleaning instructions on our website.

Photo credit: Kvadrat.

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