“Electrostatic” means the spray has electrically charged particles.
The sprayers, available in handheld or backpack units, place a positive charge on a disinfectant solution (made with chlorinated tablets and water), which is then sprayed at negatively charged surfaces (most surfaces are negative or neutral).
School district nurse Erin Kotthaus, who was involved in selecting the new technology, said, “It is effective against many microorganisms we deal with on a daily basis.”
She said a benefit of the disinfectant used is it does not contain bleach.
Milton School District purchased its sprayers from OfficePro/Elkhorn Chemical.
“When you spray, that mist naturally wants to cling to the entire surface you’re spraying on,” said Jamin Arn, president and owner of OfficePro/Elkhorn Chemical in Janesville, who first saw the technology about two years ago at a trade show.
If a worker sprays a student’s desk, Arn said, “it’s going to not just hit the surface of the desk, but the seat, the back and the legs, things like that. It wraps itself around.”
The sprayers distribute a “green” quick-drying disinfectant that kills all flu strains and norovirus and even works as a fungicide.
Demand for the sprayers is currently “through the roof,” Arn said, and more won’t be available until about mid-March.
“This isn’t a replacement for our standard nightly cleaning methods,” said Stephen Schantz, district director of buildings and grounds. “But it’s another step that we can take to kill a variety of sickness-causing germs and viruses.”
The cost for the sprayers runs from $525 for the handheld to $1,300 for the backpack, Schantz said.
The school district is working closely with the Rock County Public Health Department to minimize the spread of viruses in Milton schools.
Kari Klebba, the district’s communications and community outreach coordinator, said Feb. 13 about 10% of high school students were absent — although not necessarily because of the flu.
When a confirmed case of influenza is reported to Kotthaus, she coordinates with the custodial team at the school to ensure workers pay special attention to common surface areas. After a thorough, conventional cleaning of the affected rooms, the team follows up with the electrostatic sprayers.
Any hard surface can be treated, including light switches, door handles, desks, locker handles, drinking fountains, wrestling mats, gym equipment and railings.
Schantz said the sprayers make the cleaning process more efficient and effective.
Kotthaus told Adams Publishing Group that while the total number of confirmed influenza cases has remained steady over the last three years, they were diagnosed in a much shorter time span this year.
“The last two years, we had students being diagnosed as early as November and continuing through March,” Kotthaus said. “This year, it seems the bulk of our influenza cases have been diagnosed over the last four to eight weeks.”
The number of cases is based solely on what parents and guardians share with the district, she said.
Kotthaus encourages parents and guardians to share such information so communicable illnesses can be tracked more accurately.
“This information helps us to monitor and educate about these illnesses in a more effective manner,” she said. “The ultimate goal is to decrease further transmission of these illnesses, thus keeping students, families and staff healthier.”
